Indiana Keeps Coming and Snatches Game One, Shocks New York in OT, 138-135 at MSG
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 22 May 2025
The Indiana gave another demonstration of its pesky ability to keep on coming back as the Pacers snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in outlasting the New York Knicks in overtime, 138-135 at the Madison Square Garden Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
The Pacers came back from a 14 points deficit with 2:55 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to force an overtime and then outscored the Knicks in the extra period 13-10 to post a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Finals best of seven series.
After being outplayed and hounded by New York's stifling defense for most of the game, the Pacers rode high on Aaron Nesmith's torrid three points shooting and Tyrese Halliburton catching fire again late to erase a Knicks lead that was as high as 17 points at the mid point of the fourth quarter.
The game started as a high scoring affair with Indiana and New York alternating at the lead with both teams using most of their bench to immediately get the feel of the game in support of their regulars. Halftime ended at 69-62 in favor of the Knicks.
For most of the second half however, New York begun outplaying the Pacers as Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were having their way scoring in and around the paint while Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride were troubling their men and getting to the ball more efficiently.
Only Halliburton was able to score consistently for the Pacers with some support from Myles Turner, Paskal Siakam and Obi Toppin.
Things changed however near the end of the third quarter when Brunson was forced to the bench after committing his fifth foul and the Pacers took advantage to cut the deficit to three at the end of the period, 90-87.
But New York greeted the fourth quarter with a 21-7 bomb that thrusted the Knicks to a commanding 111-94 on the exploits of Towns, Anunoby and Bridges in the absence of Brunson.
It was at this point that the Pacers began unleashing their comeback though New York seemed to still possess a comfortable cushion of 14 points less than three minutes left, 119-105 on Brunson's three pointer.
Then like a man possessed, Nesmith hit three of his five triples of the quarter and with Halliburton also getting his shooting touch from afar, the two managed to get the Pacers back in the game, 124-122 with barely seconds left. Another long tom from Halliburton that dropped into the basket after bouncing high upon hitting the rim sent the game into overtime. Had Halliburton not lightly touched the three point line, Indiana would have won right then and there.
The overtime was academic.
No team which gave Indiana the slightest chance to comeback had ended up winning a game. Ask Milwaukee and Cleveland which Indiana polished off in five games each.
Halliburton led Indiana with 31 points. Nesmith who was 8/9 from the three points area in the game finished with 30 points. Siakam scattered 17 points.
The loss put to waste Brunson's (43) and Towns (35) combined 78 points and Hart's game high 13 rebounds.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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