Pacers deliver magnificent regulation finish in game one win over Knicks

Tyrese Haliburton (Google Images)

The Indiana Pacers have won game one of the 2025 National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Finals. It is how the Pacers won that is noteworthy. The Pacers were down 119-105 to the New York Knicks with two minutes and 51 seconds left in regulation before going on a 20-6 run to force overtime. Indiana then outscored New York 13-10 in the next five minutes to win the game 138-135.

In the last three minutes and 14 seconds of regulation, Pacers small forward Aaron Nesmith of Charleston, South Carolina made five three-pointers and two free throws. Two of the shots from downtown in this time were from 26 feet, and the other three were from 27, 28, and 31 feet. Then at the buzzer, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, made a 23 foot jump shot to tie the game at 125. In the extra time, power forward Obi Toppin of Brooklyn, New York came up big with two significant dunks in the final minute after the game was tied at 132.

Six Pacers reached double digits in scoring. Haliburton led the way with 31 points. Nesmith had 30 points, power forward Pascal Siakam of Douala, Cameroon had 17 points, Canadian guard Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ontario had 15 points, center Myles Turner had 14 points, and point guard T.J. McConnell of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had 10 points. Haliburton had the double double as he had 11 assists. Toppin led the Pacers with 10 rebounds.

A year ago, Haliburton had a notable game against the Knicks. In a 140-126 Pacers win, he tied the Pacers franchise record for most assists in a single game with 23.

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