Angelica Ciulla •May 22,2025 2:10 PM EDT

Angelica Ciulla • May 22, 2025 2:10 PM EDT pacers vs. Knicks leads to a showdown for Game 1. Pacers Prevail.

Pacers Outlast Knicks in Overtime Thriller to Take Game 1

Just when it seemed the Conference Finals couldn’t get any more intense, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers delivered a Game 1 showdown that lived up to every bit of the hype.

Despite not reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, the Knicks came to play. The game remained tightly contested through three quarters before the Knicks pulled ahead in the fourth, leading by 14 points with just three minutes remaining.

That’s when Aaron Nesmith caught fire, draining six three-pointers in the final five minutes. His clutch shooting brought the Pacers within striking distance. With the Knicks clinging to a two-point lead, Tyrese Haliburton launched a deep three that banked in, but replays revealed his toe was on the line. The bucket tied the game instead of giving Indiana the lead. Unaware, Haliburton celebrated with Reggie Miller’s infamous “choke” gesture, adding fuel to the drama.

Overtime brought more fireworks. Both teams traded buckets in a high-stakes back-and-forth. With 18.9 seconds left and the Knicks down by one, Jalen Brunson turned the ball over after a deflection originally ruled on Andrew Nembhard but overturned upon review.

From there, chaos turned into brilliance.

Everyone expected the Knicks to foul quickly, but the Pacers had other plans. Andrew Nembhard inbounded to Obi Toppin, then took the ball back as a decoy. As the Knicks swarmed Nembhard to foul, he passed back to Toppin, who was left wide open for a momentum-shifting dunk. Pacers led 138–135 with 15.3 seconds left.

The Knicks scrambled to answer. Brunson, guarded tightly by Nembhard, missed a three. Josh Hart grabbed the rebound and dished it to Karl-Anthony Towns, who also missed from deep. A mad scramble ensued, ending with Mikal Bridges knocking the ball out of bounds. Pacers ball, 0.2 seconds on the clock.

In a bizarre final twist, Haliburton inbounded the ball to Towns, giving the Knicks one last miracle chance. But Towns’ last-second attempt missed, sealing a dramatic Game 1 victory for Indiana.

If this is the energy Game 1 brought, the rest of the series promises to be unforgettable.

Edited by

Angelica Ciulla

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