There's a saying that a series hasn't truly begun until the road team secures a win. This means the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks are now in full swing, as the Pacers stunned both the Knicks and the crowd at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
The Knicks appeared to be in control of the game, leading by 14 points with just 2:40 remaining. The atmosphere in the Garden was electric, as New York seemed poised for its first Eastern Conference Finals victory since May 29, 2000, when it defeated the Indiana Pacers 91-89 in Game 4 of that series.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically. Indiana Pacers guards Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith took charge in the final moments, going a combined 5-for-5 from three-point range, with Nesmith making four of those shots.
Tyrese Haliburton Pacers
Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
After Knicks forward OG Anunoby made one out of two free throws, the Pacers had a chance to either tie or win the game. Haliburton received the inbound pass and attempted to drive toward the basket but lost control of the ball. He managed to regain possession, retreated to the three-point line and took a shot that hit the back rim, bounced straight up in the air and then came back down to swish through the net. The Pacers players rushed to mob Haliburton, believing it was the game-winning shot. However, after a review, it was determined to be a two-point shot that tied the game at 125 and sent it to overtime.
The game was on TNT, meaning the "Inside the NBA" team, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Draymond Green, was in attendance, and their reactions to that moment were captured on camera.
In the video, you can see Barkley with his hands raised high in the air. Green is exclaiming, "Oh my God," while Smith, a New York native, holds up two fingers to indicate that Haliburton's foot was on the line. Meanwhile, O'Neal and Johnson look on in disbelief, their mouths wide open.
While that was an exciting moment, it wasn't the end of the game. Both teams had to go into overtime to settle the score. In overtime, the Knicks quickly took a four-point lead, but the Pacers responded. The two teams traded leads before Pacers forward Obi Toppin, a former Knick, slammed home a dunk to give Indiana a three-point lead, 138-135.
New York's star guard, Jalen Brunson, who finished the game with 43 points, attempted a contested step-back three-pointer with 10.2 seconds left, but it fell short and missed the rim entirely. Josh Hart got the offensive rebound and passed it to Karl-Anthony Towns, who attempted a three-pointer that barely grazed the front rim. Mikal Bridges grabbed the offensive rebound, but after a struggle on the floor, the ball went out of bounds off Bridges, giving the Pacers possession with just 0.2 seconds remaining, sealing their 138-135 victory.
It was a thrilling way to end Game 1. Now, the Knicks will look to bounce back, while the Pacers hope to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series on Friday at 8:00 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden on TNT.