NEW YORK — Imagine a loss so improbable that it has never happened before. A defeat so jaw-dropping that it left the city that never sleeps in stunned silence. New York Knicks fans have witnessed a plethora of basketball dramas, but they've never experienced a moment quite like this. As hundreds of fans trickled out of Madison Square Garden, their expressions mirrored disbelief, with some appearing dazed and others visibly upset. The only sound that echoed was the soft squeak of wet shoes against the steps, underscoring the eerie quiet that enveloped the arena.
“Why’s it so quiet?” shouted Tyrese Haliburton, star guard of the Indiana Pacers, as he walked triumphantly back to the locker room. The answer was simple: the unimaginable had occurred. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night, the Knicks held a commanding 14-point lead with just 2:51 left on the clock. Fans began to head for the exits after Jalen Brunson sunk a crucial 3-pointer. Some had even left before the chaos ensued.
Although it initially seemed the game was in hand after Brunson’s layup extended the Knicks' lead to 9 points with 58 seconds remaining, an unsettling feeling began to permeate the arena. Indiana executed one three-pointer after another, with Aaron Nesmith making history by scoring six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, three of which came in the final minute. Suddenly, the Knicks found themselves scrambling on defense.
With the Knicks leading by only 2 points, Haliburton made a decisive move. Dribbling up the court, he initially looked content to settle for overtime but then made a dramatic shift. In a split second, he stepped back to take a shot that would become the talk of the game. The ball hit the rim and soared high into the air, seemingly asking the basketball gods for favor. To the surprise of everyone, the ball fell back down and through the net—an equalizer that sent the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Pacers capitalized on the momentum, ultimately defeating the Knicks 138-135. This loss was historic for New York. According to Elias Sports, no team had ever won a playoff game after trailing by nine points or more in the final minute of regulation or overtime since 1998. The previous record stood at 0-1,414; now, it sits at 1-1,414. Additionally, no team had lost a playoff game after leading by 14 points or more with less than three minutes remaining since 1997. The Knicks were 977-0 in such scenarios until Wednesday, marking a disheartening shift to 977-1.
“We didn’t do what we needed to do; otherwise, we’d be in here talking about a whole different ballgame,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, center for the Knicks. He emphasized that the team played well for the majority of the game but faltered in the crucial moments. “We played 46 good minutes. Those last two minutes are where we lost the game. That’s on all of us.”
The Knicks had established themselves as late-game heroes throughout the postseason, often snatching victories from their opponents’ grasp. However, in Game 1, they found themselves on the receiving end of that narrative. For 46 minutes, New York showcased strong defensive coverages, but in the final two minutes and most of overtime, they faltered. Their inability to execute pick-and-roll defenses allowed Indiana to take advantage, while crucial turnovers and missed free throws plagued their late-game performance.
“Our intensity dropped,” noted Josh Hart, reflecting on the team's lack of urgency. “We started playing slower and more into their hands. We let that one slip.” He added that the team must analyze their performance and improve before the next game. “Right back on Friday.”
Despite the loss, there are glimmers of hope for the Knicks. They performed admirably for the majority of the contest, with Brunson (43 points) and Towns (35 points) leading the charge. New York must focus on dominating the boards in the series, as they did until the Pacers found their rhythm. As Haliburton celebrated his game-tying shot—a nod to Reggie Miller’s iconic moments against the Knicks in the past—there’s a chance that this loss could serve as a turning point rather than a crushing blow.
“Obviously, it’s not a good feeling, but there is a lot of basketball left to be played,” Brunson said. “We can’t sulk. We just got to get better.” The Knicks will need to regroup and refocus as they prepare for the upcoming challenges in the Eastern Conference Finals.
