New Yorkers had no chance of catching any sleep after the Knicks delivered an unthinkable blunder in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. This was a night to remember in the city that never sleeps for all the wrong reasons.
Up by as many as 17 points in the fourth and still up by nine with a minute left in the game, the Knicks had history on their side as teams that were up by that much went on to win 1,414 games in a row. But as they have proven this postseason, the Pacers weren’t going to stop playing until the final buzzer and orchestrated one of the most remarkable comebacks in league history, tying the game at 125-all at the end of regulation before triumphing in the extra period, 138-135.
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Former NBA player Jay Williams minced no words in describing how horrendous and deflating the Knicks’ loss was, calling it the “biggest choke job in NBA playoff history.”
The Knicks fumbled it
The Knicks knew the Pacers’ reputation for spoiling the party at Madison Square Garden. Determined to prevent history from repeating itself, they approached the latest chapter of their fierce rivalry — one that stretches back to the heated battles of the 1990s — with focus and resolve.
For a brief moment, it appeared New York was poised to secure victory in Game 1, holding a commanding 14-point lead with just 2:51 remaining. Historically, such a lead has been virtually untouchable, with teams in this position boasting an undefeated 994-0 record. Obviously, Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton had other plans.
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“So statistically, that’s the worst home loss in New York Knicks history, and it’s the biggest choke job in NBA playoff history — just based off the statistics. That is one way to look at it. New York had it. MSG had it. And then they fumbled it,” the former Duke Blue Devil surmised on “Get Up.”
Williams took his praise of the Pacers’ never-say-die spirit a step further, claiming it was the equivalent of someone going into the raucous “Mecca of Basketball” and telling a rabid Knicks fan to zip his mouth.
“And then Indiana literally came into Madison Square Garden, iconic venue, and grabbed the mic and told New York to shut up. That’s what happened last night. I mean, that’s how incredible of a game it was last night,” Williams stated.
The Pacers wore the Knicks down
Indy plays with one of the fastest paces in the league (they ranked seventh in the regular season), which allows them to get out in transition and force defenses to keep up with them or risk getting blown out. Indiana’s approach, coupled with the Knicks’ propensity for playing their starters heavy minutes (three starters played over 40 minutes), led to a tired and worn-down New York team in the fourth quarter.
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“I think maybe you could say that. They missed a couple of free throws there down the stretch. Had a couple of short misses down the end of the game … I think it’s hard for me to discredit, and say that the ‘wear-down effect’ wasn’t there, you know?” Haliburton, New York’s newly appointed public enemy no. 1, said.
“I think from everything that you’re seeing, that’s a part of it, and I think that’s a part of our identity, how can we wear on teams for 48 minutes? Obviously, picking up full court, but as well as our offensive pressure, getting downhill, moving, playing fast, I thought that we did a good job offensively of playing our style,” he added.
The Knicks now know how it feels to be on the other end of a spectacular comeback after they did it twice against the Boston Celtics in the second round. It’ll be interesting to see how they bounce back from such a morale-sapping defeat.