Knicks-Pacers: Haliburton’s shot stuns New York in Game 1 of East finals

Tyrese Haliburton made a remarkable shot at the buzzer to tie the game, leading the Indiana Pacers to an overtime victory against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

As the game ended in regulation, Haliburton’s shot bounced high off the rim before dropping in, initially thinking it was a game-winning 3-pointer but realizing it was a 2-pointer to tie. Despite the confusion, his focus shifted to winning in overtime, which the Pacers did by defeating the Knicks 138-135.

The Knicks had a 14-point lead with under three minutes left in regulation, but a series of 3-pointers by Aaron Nesmith brought the Pacers back. Haliburton’s clutch shot tied the game, and Andrew Nembhard later made the go-ahead basket in overtime.

Haliburton scored 31 points with 11 assists, while Nesmith contributed 30 points. The thrilling game marked the first Eastern Conference finals appearance for the Knicks since 2000 and a disappointing loss for them after squandering a big lead.

Despite the Knicks’ collapse, Pacers guard Jalen Brunson’s impressive 43-point performance and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 35 points and 12 rebounds were not enough to secure a win. The Pacers’ resilience in the face of adversity led to a memorable victory in the playoff matchup between the historic rivals.