The iconic rivalry between the Knicks and Pacers has been revived since their second-round series in the 2024 playoffs. The stakes have been elevated in the 2025 NBA playoffs, with a berth in the NBA Finals on the line.
The Eastern Conference Finals began in exhilarating fashion on May 21, as the Pacers overcame a nine-point deficit in the final minute of regulation to force overtime. Then, they pulled off a miraculous 138-135 win to take a 1-0 series lead.
The Pacers forced overtime courtesy of Tyrese Haliburton‘s clutch shot to tie the score at 125 apiece. Immediately after his shot, Haliburton pulled out the “choke sign” celebration that Reggie Miller used after scoring 8 points in 8.9 seconds at Madison Square Garden during the 1995 NBA playoffs.
Haliburton revealed he used the celebration just for the sake of Miller, who was incidentally live on the air as part of the TNT Sports announcing crew.
https://x.com/NBATV/status/1925408771028787456