Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final is here.
The Knicks have a chance to right the wrongs of their conference semifinal loss to the Pacers last season, starting with Wednesday night’s game at the Garden.
Indiana, which plays a fast-paced game, may prove to be New York’s toughest test yet.
Pascal Siakam leads the Pacers with 18.8 points per game in the postseason and they’ve gotten their normal contributions from Tyrese Haliburton, who is averaging 9.3 assists-per-game.
Will Jalen Brunson and Co. be able to capture an early series lead at home or will Indiana ensure the Garden remains quiet?
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Jalen Brunson (43 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (35 points) became the first pair of Knicks to score at least 35 points in the same playoff game. The All-Star duo also each hit the 30-point mark in Game 3 against Detroit, becoming the fourth pair of Knicks teammates to achieve the feat. Before that, no Knicks teammates had scored at least 30 points in the same game since 1999 (Allan Houston/Latrell Sprewell). Before tonight, there were 994 instances where a team led by at least 14 points in the final 2:45 of regulation since 1997, according to The Associated Press. The Knicks are the first to lose such a lead. "It looked like we were playing not to lose. We've got to make sure we don't make that mistake again."Impressive, but ultimately unimportant
By Howie Kussoy All alone
By Howie Kussoy
Josh Hart talks about what went wrong for the Knicks down the stretch: pic.twitter.com/J9xbpuy4v8
The Eastern Conference Finals is still young. Many predicted the evenly-matched teams would stretch the series seven games.
But this is the first time that the Knicks have lost Game 1 of a playoff series since 2023 and the team has lost seven straight postseason matchups after losing the opener.
The Knicks haven't won a playoff series after losing a Game 1 since the 2000 conference semifinals against Miami.
"There's a lot of emotional highs and lows in the playoffs. You've got to bounce back quickly."
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 22, 2025
Tom Thibodeau was asked what he will tell his team to help them put tonight behind them: pic.twitter.com/HVdXjfwEZL
Former Knicks lottery pick Obi Toppin finished with 8 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes, delivering a pair of dunks in the final minute of overtime to steal Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.
Obi Toppin was asked about talking with Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden at the end of regulation of Game 1
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 22, 2025
"I missed them, just saying what's up. That's it" pic.twitter.com/qFyrvunj2r
Put it up there with any of Reggie Miller's moments, with Patrick Ewing's missed finger-roll, with Roy Hibbert's block.
One of the most anticipated games in Knicks history will be remembered as one of the most painful days the franchise has ever experienced, having surrendered a 17-point fourth quarter lead, before falling, 138-135, to the Pacers in overtime.
Indiana's 23 points in the final 3:14 of regulation of a playoff game is the most by any team since at least 1997, according to the Associated Press.
Jalen Brunson (43 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (35 points) each missed game-tying 3-point attempts in the final seconds.
The rivalry has already been turned up a notch, courtesy of a thrilling, back-and-forth opener in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers lead, somehow, 136-135, in overtime.
Can Jalen Brunson — already with 43 points — save the day again?
In a playoff run defined by incredible comebacks, the Knicks collapsed in the fourth quarter, blowing a 14-point lead in the final three minutes and allowing the Pacers to send the game to overtime on Tyrese Haliburton's step-back shot, which bounced high in the air and somehow fell down through the hoop.
Though it was initially believed to be a game-winning 3-pointer — prompting the Pacers to sprint in celebration and Haliburton to recreate Reggie Miller's infamous choke sign — review determined that the Indiana guard's foot was on the line.
HALIBURTON SENDS IT TO OT! 😱pic.twitter.com/MQUHAaALEe
— Covers (@Covers) May 22, 2025
Following a missed free throw by Karl-Anthony Towns — one of 11 missed by the Knicks — the Pacers have one last chance to tie the game, trailing 124-121, with 13.9 seconds remaining.
You might want to throw an extra body near Aaron Nesmith.
The Knicks led by 17, but Aaron Nesmith won't let the Pacers go quietly.
The 25-year-old forward has been a flamethrower in the fourth quarter, hitting six straight 3-pointers — improving to 8-of-9 from deep — to pull the Pacers within two with 22.1 seconds remaining.
Jalen Brunson has recorded his 18th 30-point playoff game with the Knicks, tying Patrick Ewing for the most in franchise history.
Ewing reached it in 135 games. Brunson has done it in 37 games.
Jalen Brunson is back on the bench with his fifth foul — and the Knicks have taken off.
When the Knicks' star guard left the floor, the team led by two, with 10:05 left in the fourth quarter. Since then, the Knicks have gone a 14-0 run, moving closer to clinching the series opener.
It has been decades since Reggie Miller had a good performance at the Garden.
With 26.1 seconds left in the third quarter, Tom Thibodeau called on reserve Delon Wright to enter the game. Miller managed to make two mistakes while making note of Wright's rare playing time.
The Pacers star turned TNT broadcaster referred to him as "Dorrell Wright" — who last appeared in an NBA game in 2015 — and stated the guard was making his first appearance of the postseason. Wright most recently appeared in Knicks' Game 3 loss to the Celtics.
