The Indiana Pacers stunned the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, pulling out a dramatic 137-134 overtime victory at Madison Square Garden in a game that felt like a flashback to last season’s playoff battle between the two franchises.
Eight months removed from that postseason clash, the circumstances surrounding both teams could not be more different.
The Pacers (14-40) sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are enduring one of the worst campaigns in franchise history—surpassed only by the 1982-83 season, when they finished 20-62.
The Knicks (34-20), meanwhile, remain firmly in the championship conversation, battling the Boston Celtics for second place in the East behind the Detroit Pistons.
Standings, however, proved irrelevant. So did Indiana’s long list of absences. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the season, Obi Toppin unavailable, and Ivica Zubac yet to make his debut, the Pacers still played with urgency and edge, as if everything were on the line.
The contest featured 39 lead changes and 16 ties. Neither team led by more than 10 points all night, Indiana’s largest advantage was nine, while New York’s peaked at eight.
The tightly contested matchup went to overtime after Pascal Siakam missed a free throw with five seconds remaining in regulation, leaving the Pacers up two.
Landry Shamet had a chance to win it with a three-pointer that rimmed out, but Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed the offensive rebound and drew a foul with tenths of a second left. He converted to tie the game at 124-124 and force overtime.
Indiana seized control in the extra period with a 9-0 run, briefly triggering an early exit from parts of the Garden crowd. Yet the Knicks refused to fold.
Trailing by nine with 24 seconds remaining, they cut the deficit to one with six seconds left as Siakam continued to struggle at the free-throw line.
Despite those late misses, the Cameroonian forward led Indiana with 30 points. Andrew Nembhard recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists, and Quenton Jackson added 19.
For New York, Jalen Brunson poured in 40 points. Towns, who fouled out in overtime, posted a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Shamet contributed 17 points, while Josh Hart delivered a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Puerto Rican guard Jose Alvarado made his debut for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, finishing with four points and five assists.
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