The New York Knicks just collapsed in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, and Boston Celtics fans are revelling in the irony of the situation. In Game 1 of the second round, the Knicks came all the way back from down 20 points to beat the Celtics. And they did the same in Game 2. Their clutch gene was on full display.
But in Game 1 of the ECF, the Indiana Pacers gave the Knicks a taste of their own medicine. New York was up by 17 points with just over six minutes to go, and with under three minutes left, they were still up by 14. Even when the game got to under a minute on the clock, they were up nine.
But it didn’t matter.
**How did the Knicks blow the lead?**
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[Aaron Nesmith](https://hardwoodhoudini.com/boston-celtics-aaron-nesmith-gave-up-too-soon-playoff-star-indiana-pacers-new-york-knicks-eastern-conference-finals-nba-trade-rumors-jrue-holiday-malcolm-brogdon). That’s how. And the added irony? He’s a former Celtic.
Nesmith nailed five threes in the final three minutes of the game, and six in the last five minutes—all without missing. He almost single-handedly propelled the Pacers back into the game, and the Knicks kept losing him behind the three-point line.
Then, after Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby missed one free throw each, Tyrese Haliburton nailed a miraculous shot at the buzzer of regulation. It bounced off the rim, sailed into the sky, and fell back down into the basket.
Haliburton hit the Reggie Miller ‘choke’ celebration when he thought the shot was a three (which would have won the game), but his foot was on the line. So, the game went to overtime. But even then, the Pacers found a way to win.
Tough buckets from Andrew Nembhard and Haliburton surged the Pacers forward in OT as Obi Toppin used his freak athleticism to secure a clutch put-back and a huge slam.
**What was worse—the Knicks or Celtics collapse?**
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The fact that the Celtics blew two games in a row makes their set of collapses inherently worse. However, the Knicks’ game had bigger stakes, as it was the Conference Finals. And on top of that, they had a much larger lead, much later into the game.
Boston was up by 20 late in the third quarter. The Knicks were up by 17 with six minutes left to play.
The point is, both games were extremely ugly (or very exciting, depending on the side of the coin you sit on). And Celtics fans who were miserable just a couple of weeks ago undoubtedly enjoyed watching the Knicks succumb to the same fate they inflicted on Boston not long ago.