Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers was a wild ride. For the majority of the game, the Knicks looked as if they were going to defend home-court advantage, but in the end, the Pacers came away victorious.
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Before this game, NBA teams were 0-970 in postseason history over the last 27 years when trailing by 14+ points with under 2:50 left in regulation. The Pacers became the first team to make this happen, and it left the New York fans stunned.
In fact, the Knicks held a near-perfect win probability during the game before the Pacers stole the win. New York held a 99.7 win percentage with about three minutes left in regulation.
The Knicks had a 99.7 win percentage when they led by 14 points with 2:51 left in fourth quarter of ECF Game 1 overtime loss to Pacers. pic.twitter.com/LqRi0LZJVf
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 22, 2025
The Knicks were truly stunned by the outcome of the game, but they don’t have long to move on. The two teams are scheduled to play Game 2 on Friday, so New York will need to put the loss behind them quickly.
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New York has typically been good about holding these leads, but the Pacers have also been excellent when trailing. Indiana has found a way to come back from massive deficits multiple times during this playoff run, giving thought to them being the team of destiny.
But the Knicks may have some answers up their sleeve as Game 2 gets going. New York was able to command the game for the majority of the time, and if they can just tweak some late-game situations, they may be able to come out of Game 2 with a win.
If the Knicks fall down 0-2 to the Pacers, they could be in big trouble. Indiana has been one of the better teams in the NBA at home in the second half of the year, and New York would be put into a tough situation.
The Knicks have shown a lot of toughness throughout the postseason, but Indiana presents a different challenge. They use strong depth to wear teams down, and it became very evident in Game 1.
Game 2 between these two teams is scheduled for Friday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET.
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