The Indiana Pacers pulled off a stunning 138-135 overtime victory over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2025, at Madison Square Garden, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the final 2:45 of regulation. Tyrese Haliburton tied the game at 125 with a buzzer-beating two-pointer—initially thought to be a three—before Andrew Nembhard’s go-ahead basket with 26 seconds left in OT sealed the win, marking the first time a team overcame such a late deficit since 1997-98 (per ESPN). The Pacers, who also beat the Knicks in Game 7 of last year’s East semifinals (per prior web results), celebrated their ninth playoff matchup against their 1990s rivals with Haliburton mimicking Reggie Miller’s iconic choke gesture to the crowd.
Haliburton led with 31 points and 11 assists, echoing his Game 1 performance against the Knicks last series (per ESPN), while Aaron Nesmith was pivotal with 30 points, hitting 8-of-9 from three, sparking the comeback after the Knicks led 119-105 with 2:51 left. Jalen Brunson scored 43 points for the Knicks—his 11th playoff game with 35+ points and 5+ assists (per prior web results)—and Karl-Anthony Towns added 35 points and 12 rebounds, but New York collapsed after Brunson’s fourth-quarter foul trouble, a stark contrast to their Game 7 loss to the Pacers last year when injuries plagued them. The Knicks, in their first East Finals since 2000, couldn’t hold off Indiana’s late surge despite a 14-0 run earlier in the fourth.
This game, a nod to the fierce Pacers-Knicks rivalry of the 1990s (per ESPN), sets the stage for a heated series, with Game 2 on Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers’ knack for late comebacks—previously overcoming deficits against Milwaukee and Cleveland this postseason (per prior web results)—makes them a dangerous foe, while the Knicks, led by Brunson’s playoff heroics, must regroup to avoid falling 2-0. Nesmith called the win “special,” reflecting the team’s clutch mentality. The matchup promises more drama as two young stars, Haliburton and Brunson, continue to shine.
