Pacers Stun with Another Incredible NBA Playoff Comeback!

NEW YORK — Tyrese Haliburton may not have been around in 1994 when Reggie Miller made his iconic choke gesture towards Spike Lee at Madison Square Garden, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to secure Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. However, Haliburton is well-acquainted with the event, having watched the documentary Winning Time, which details Miller’s rivalry with the Knicks, around 50 times. So, when Haliburton sank a crucial long-range shot at the end of the fourth quarter, marking a dramatic 14-point comeback and pushing the game into overtime, eventually leading the Indiana Pacers to a 138-135 victory over the New York Knicks in the first game of the Eastern Conference finals, he instinctively mimed the choke sign while looking directly at Miller, who was commentating for TNT.

“It was for him to see,” Haliburton commented. “Truly a memorable moment.”

Unbelievable. With just 2:39 remaining, the game seemed decided. The Knicks led by 14, and ESPN’s win probability meter had given them a 99.7% chance of winning, a near statistical certainty. The Pacers seemed destined for a loss, especially after failing to capitalize on Jalen Brunson’s absence due to foul trouble in the fourth quarter.

Yet, this postseason saw a different Pacers team, one that had already made miraculous comebacks against the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers in earlier rounds. Since 1998, playoff teams trailing by seven or more in the last minute or overtime had a dismal record, but the Pacers accounted for three of the four wins against such odds.

“It’s like a muscle,” explained Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.”

Myles Turner added, “We always give ourselves a chance. We’ve come to expect it, really.”

While Haliburton’s shot was the one everyone will remember, Aaron Nesmith played a crucial role in setting it up. Down by 11 with two minutes left, Nesmith hit a three-pointer to reduce the deficit to eight. He continued his streak, cutting the lead further, and eventually making six three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone, a first in NBA playoff history.

“It felt surreal,” Nesmith said. “There’s no better feeling for me. I thrive on it.”

This set the stage for Haliburton. His performance this postseason has been nothing short of sensational, especially considering he was recently voted the NBA’s most overrated player in an anonymous player poll by The Athletic. His game-tying jumper marked his fourth critical shot in the dying moments of this postseason’s games.

The most recent shot was especially unforgettable. After OG Anunoby split his free throws, giving the Knicks a slender two-point lead with only 7.3 seconds left and no timeouts, Haliburton rushed up the court, maneuvered around New York’s best shot blocker, Mitchell Robinson, and launched what he thought was a three-pointer. It turned out his foot was on the line, but the shot went in, and he instinctively clasped his throat.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Haliburton confessed. “I almost wish I hadn’t done it, knowing it was actually a two-pointer.”

The Knicks now face an unusual predicament, having to recover from a game they should have won. Last round, it was New York making the comeback against the Boston Celtics in Game 1. This game saw a collective collapse: poor defense from Mikal Bridges, critical free throws missed by Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, and questionable decisions by Brunson in overtime.

“We should have fouled,” admitted Brunson.

Hart lamented, “We didn’t finish strong. We eased off when we needed to press on.”

Now, it’s up to the Knicks to regroup. While Haliburton savored his moment reminiscent of Miller, he’s hoping to avoid the outcome of that 1994 series. “We don’t want history to repeat itself,” he said. The Knicks, on the other hand, are looking for a different ending.

“We need to transform this disappointment into a positive force,” coach Tom Thibodeau stated, setting the stage for what might be a pivotal moment in the series.

Indeed, or else Winning Time may just get its sequel.

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