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On Tuesday’s episode of Speak on FS1, former NFL wide receiver and current sports analyst Keyshawn Johnson shared his thoughts on a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks — comments that appeared to overlook a key piece of recent playoff history.
Johnson expressed confidence in the Knicks, declaring them the likely favorite if they were to face the Pacers in the next round.
“I think they should be the favorite because when you look at it, Indy is taking care of a Cleveland team that we probably overvalued and we kinda undervalued Indy to a degree,” Johnson said. “And when you look at the way the Knicks have played against Boston… they’re just rolling. It’s Knickville and the Garden is cracking.”
.@Keyshawn says the Pacers will be intimidated by the Knicks in the Garden.
“Indy vs New York, come on man. They're not used to that.” pic.twitter.com/gUlHZVBDpG
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) May 14, 2025
He added that Madison Square Garden’s electric atmosphere gives the Knicks a psychological advantage.
“The Knicks are just rolling – nobody can stop Jalen Brunson,” he continued. “Everybody is in the house and it’s a crowd of just not only celebrities but passionate Knick fans.”
When asked directly if Indiana would be intimidated by the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, Johnson responded confidently.
“100%. Indy vs. New York, come on man. They’re not used to that.”
Pacers await Knicks-Celtics winner after dominant playoff run
However, the Indiana Pacers’ recent postseason history suggests otherwise. In the 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pacers dismantled the Knicks 130-109 in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden — marking their only road win of that series and sending them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade.
This year, Indiana has already punched its ticket back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season. The Pacers closed out the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, finishing the series with a 114-105 win on the road. Cleveland entered the postseason with 64 wins, the second-best regular-season record in the NBA.
Indiana now awaits the winner of the Knicks-Celtics second-round series. The Knicks hold a 3-1 lead over the defending champion Boston Celtics and will look to close the series at home on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
Should New York advance, it would mark the franchise’s first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000. It would also set up a rematch of last year’s hard-fought series with Indiana — and possibly a reminder that the Pacers have already proven capable of silencing Madison Square Garden.
