The only appropriate word to describe the New York Knicks’ loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is stunning. After holding a 14-point lead with 2:39 left in regulation, the Indiana Pacers stormed back to force overtime and would go on to win 138-135.
For the new age fans, this was their Reggie Miller moment. After Tyrese Haliburton sent the game to overtime with a long two-pointer, he paid homage to Miller by doing his famous choke gesture, all while Miller was sitting courtside, calling the game for TNT.
Pacers stun Knicks with wild final minutes
The Knicks outplayed the Pacers for most of this game, gaining a 17-point lead halfway through the fourth quarter. The game was fully in their control, and they were just a few good plays away from securing a Game 1 win.
Instead, the Knicks became complacent. Last turnovers, poor transition defense, bad shot IQ, and miraculous shooting from Indiana allowed the Pacers to close regulation on a 20-6 run. Aaron Nesmith went ballistic in the final minutes, scoring 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and making six threes in the fourth.
The lack of defensive pressure around Nesmith allowed him to continue to get wide-open looks, to which he made the Knicks pay dearly. New York had the game entirely in their favor, and instead, they will now go into Game 2 off of one of the worst losses in NBA Playoffs history.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns did everything they could
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns played like the All-Star duo that they were in the regular season, dominating offensively. Unfortunately, their big performances went to waste after their fourth quarter collapse.
Brunson scored 43 points on 15-for-25 shooting from the floor and 12-for-14 from the free throw line. The big blemish on his stat line was that he had seven turnovers, which came back to haunt him and the Knicks with the Pacers’ fast-paced, high-octane offense.
Towns put in a strong showing after a rough series against the Celtics. He scored 35 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 4-for-8 from three. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and was a +9 on the night.
However, like Brunson, a major blemish spoils that great stat line. With 22 seconds left in regulation, Towns had a chance to put the Knicks up by four with a pair of free throws, but he missed the second free throw to keep Indiana within one possession. That missed free throw proved to be incredibly brutal.
New York missed 12 free throws on the night overall and missed several key ones down the stretch. They will not be able to win many games if they can’t convert their foul shots.
Overview
A loss like this will deflate many Knicks fans. However, the bright side of things is that it was only Game 1 of the series, and a win on Friday will help change the projections fans are having about this current Knicks team.
Game 2 tips off at 8 P.M. EST on Friday.