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Reggie Miller’s eight points in eight seconds is etched in New York Knicks history for all the wrong reasons—but what happened tonight might be just as painful. In one of the franchise’s most brutal playoff collapses, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead and squandered a golden opportunity to take control of the Eastern Conference finals. Despite an extra five minutes in overtime, the Knicks couldn’t close it out. The Indiana Pacers stormed back with a 23-point flurry in the final 3:14 of regulation and escaped Madison Square Garden with a stunning 138-135 Game 1 victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson both missed potential game-tying threes in the final moments, and the Knicks now face their first series deficit of the postseason. After the crushing loss, Towns spoke with resolve in his postgame interview, saying, “It's our job to make history. We're not here to repeat history, we're here to make history.”
Karl-Anthony Towns was asked about the long history between the Knicks and the Pacers:
"It's our job to make history. We're not here to repeat history, we're here to make history." pic.twitter.com/Xuq6MfhEDr
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 22, 2025
New York struck first in overtime with four quick points, but momentum slipped away as they were outscored 13-6 the rest of the period. The collapse began when Jalen Brunson was denied on a fast-break attempt, leading to an Andrew Nembhard three-pointer that trimmed the Knicks’ lead to just one. Brunson poured in 43 points in the loss, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 35.
Pacers come up with another cardiac finish
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 31 points, and Game 2 is set for Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks let a 17-point fourth-quarter lead slip away, including a 14-point advantage with just 2:51 remaining. Aaron Nesmith caught fire from beyond the arc, draining five three-pointers. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each missed crucial free throws in the final 14.3 seconds.
The Pacers thought they had sealed the win when Haliburton sank a deep shot that bounced off the back rim and fell through. Indiana erupted in celebration, believing it was a game-winning three. But the officials ruled Haliburton’s toe was on the line, making it a two-pointer and forcing the game into overtime.
The Knicks regrouped and grabbed a one-point lead with 35.2 seconds left in overtime after Jalen Brunson sank a driving floater. But the Pacers punched back. Andrew Nembhard scored on a layup, and Obi Toppin threw down a sick two-handed slam to cap a thrilling comeback. The win marked Indiana’s fourth rally from a 15-point deficit or more in this postseason run.
After letting Game 1 slip away, Towns may hope history repeats itself—just as the Knicks did in 1994 when they rallied to win the final two games and punched their ticket to the NBA Finals. Haliburton and the Pacers, though, are focused on changing the narrative this time.
