Tyrese Haliburton Shines Again as Indiana Pacers Edge New York Knicks in Overtime Thriller — Game 1 Eastern Conference Finals 2025

Tyrese Haliburton once again emerged as the hero for the Indiana Pacers, leading them to a thrilling 138-135 overtime victory over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. The match, held at Madison Square Garden, was a dramatic showdown that kept fans on the edge of their seats as the Pacers overcame a significant deficit to force extra time.

The Knicks had opened up a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter and seemed poised for victory. However, the resilient Pacers staged a fierce comeback, culminating in a breathtaking buzzer-beater from Haliburton to tie the game at 125-125 and send it into overtime.

The star guard celebrated his clutch shot with an iconic “choke” gesture, paying homage to Pacers legend Reggie Miller’s famous celebration against the Knicks in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.  

Read More: https://www.esnnews.com/post/edwards-randle-lead-timberwolves-win-game4-warriors Haliburton admitted he initially thought the shot was a three-pointer and attempted the Miller-inspired celebration spontaneously.

“I thought it was a three-point shot, and I tried to celebrate, but it didn’t quite work out. We finished it in overtime.

Everyone wanted me to do it, so I saved it for the right moment. It felt right and then carried over to the OT,” Haliburton explained post-game.

Reggie Miller, now an NBA analyst, praised the gesture and the moment, saying, “Good bounce. The choke celebration.

We got it all in Game 1.” Miller’s original choke celebration was famously directed at Knicks superfan Spike Lee during Game 5 of the 1994 series, where Miller scored 25 points in the fourth quarter alone to finish with 39 points. Despite the celebration, Haliburton’s shot was ruled a two-pointer after video review showed his foot touching the three-point line.

“If I had known it wasn’t a three-pointer, maybe I wouldn’t have done the celebration. If I do it again, people might say I’m aura-farming, which I don’t plan on doing,” Haliburton said with a laugh.

Read More: https://www.esnnews.com/post/thunder-dominates-nuggets-game-2-tie-series Haliburton finished as the Pacers’ top scorer with a double-double of 31 points and 11 assists, plus 4 rebounds, shooting efficiently at 52 percent from the field over 42 minutes.

Supporting him was sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith, who was on fire from beyond the arc, hitting 8 of 9 three-pointers and totaling 31 points. Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Myles Turner also contributed significantly with 17, 15, and 14 points respectively.

The Pacers’ comeback win sets the tone for what promises to be a fiercely competitive Eastern Conference Finals, with Haliburton’s star power shining brightly as Indiana seeks to upset the favored Knicks on their home court.