INDIANA Pacers went on a spirited fight back late in the fourth quarter to secure a 138-135 overtime victory against New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night (Thursday in the Philippines) at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Down by 14 points at 105-119 with under three minutes in the fourth quarter, the Pacers got four consecutive three-pointers and two free throws from Aaron Nesmith to cut the deficit to 123-124.
Knicks increased the lead to 125-123 on a split free throw by OG Anunoby before Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton tied the game with a long jumper that bounced high off the back of the rim, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams traded baskets early in the extra time with the Knicks leading for the last time at 135-134 on a Jalen Brunson basket with 35 seconds left, but the Pacers regained the lead at 136-135 on a short jumper by Andrew Nembhard.
After a turnover by Brunson, the Pacers widened the gap at 138-135 on a two-handed dunk by Obi Toppin. New York had a chance to force another extension but Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns missed their three-point attempts.
Haliburton finished with a double-double of 31 points and 11 assists to lead the Pacers, while Nesmith chipped in a playoff career-high of 30 markers, including eight three-point conversions.
Paskal Siakam tallied 17 markers,.six assists, and five rebounds, while Nembhard, Myles Turner, and TJ McConnell contributed 15, 14, and 10 markers, respectively, as Indiana took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Brunson top-scored for the Knicks with 43 points, Towns posted a double-double of 35 points and 12 rebounds, while Anunoby and Miles Bridges contributed 16 markers apiece.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named as 2024-25 NBA Season Most Valuable Player defeating Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Canadian Gilgeous-Alexander became the third OKC player to win the MVP award after Kevin Durant in the 2013-14 Season and Russell Westbrook in the 2016-2017 Season./PN
BOX SCORE:
INDIANA 138 — Halliburton 31, Nesmith 30, Siakam 17, Nembhard 15, Turner 14, McConnell 10, Mathurin 9, Toppin 8, Bryant 4, Sheppard 0.
NEW YORK 135 — Brunson 43, Towns 35, Bridges 16, Anunoby 16, McBride 9, Hart 8, Payne 6, Robinson 2, Wright 0.
Quarterscores: 34-36, 62-69, 87-90, 125-125, 138-135.
