Everything was going well for the New York Knicks on Wednesday, until it wasn’t.
The team had victory in sight with less than three minutes to go, but then they made a series of mistakes, the Indiana Pacers came back from a huge deficit, and overtime was forced.
The Knicks were never able to get back in control and ultimately lost Game 1 to the Pacers, 138-135.
Following the painful defeat, Karl-Anthony Towns got honest with ESPN about his team and how they let go in the final few minutes.
“There’s a lot of things we did good and we put ourselves in position to win. We played 46 good minutes. Those 2 minutes [are] where we lost the game, and that’s on all of us,” Towns said.
NBA fans have never seen a playoff loss like this.
According to ESPN Research, the Knicks had a win probability of 99.8 percent when they were up by 14 in the fourth quarter.
Some fans were ready to head to the exits, and millions watching at home were prepared to change the channel, thinking the game was done.
Instead, the bad times were just beginning for the Knicks.
It should never have gotten to that point, and the Knicks should have been able to put the game away, considering they had such a lead.
This was a reminder that the Pacers should never be counted out, especially when they are shooting well.
It will also serve as a reminder to the Knicks: never take your foot off the gas, no matter how big the margin of victory is.
If the series ultimately goes to the Pacers, this game will forever live in the heads of Knicks fans like a nightmare they cannot forget.
NEXT: Josh Hart Reveals Knicks 'Let Off Gas' Late Against Pacers