When you thought the Eastern Conference Finals were losing their spark, the Pacers served up a magical comeback to remind you that nothing is set in stone—and the script can surpass all imagination.

As Jalen Brunson sat on the bench with five fouls, did you, like me, think the New York Knicks were done for? Or did you just figure it was the Pacers’ chance to strike?

But OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns had other plans. Without Brunson by their side, Anunoby unlocked his offensive arsenal, and Towns remained the sharpshooting big man the Pacers couldn’t contain since the regular season. Together, they led a 14-0 run that quickly killed the game’s suspense. With 6:26 left in the fourth quarter, the lead swelled to 17 points.

This wasn’t about missing a star; it’s that the Knicks’ offense revolves so tightly around Brunson that others fade into the background—or maybe Tom Thibodeau simply won’t allow the offensive order to be disrupted. Their plan was clear: wait for Brunson to return, control the game in the final five minutes, bleed the clock even if it meant surrendering some lead, and secure a double-digit win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

But the Pacers had a spoiler: Derrick Nixmith, their deadliest three-point shooter, who’d barely fired off shots. He entered the playoffs with a 48% three-point clip, but in this game, he’d only taken three attempts, making two. Then, out of nowhere, he unleashed a barrage of threes. There was no warning when the offensive focus shifted from Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam to Nixmith; he just drew, fired, and sank his third triple.

Before his three straight threes, no one on the Knicks could’ve predicted the storm of triples about to rain down. They felt no urgency—after all, they led by 15 with four minutes left, 14 with three minutes to go. Left in single coverage time and again, Nixmith showcased his mastery of shaking defenders, draining two more threes.

By then, Thibodeau should’ve sounded the alarm and adjusted the defense—maybe with a double team, forced a pass, or even fouled Nixmith before he shot to break his rhythm. But Thibodeau stayed put.

He became a gambler, like someone flipping a coin with Nixmith. When Nixmith hit three heads in a row, Thibodeau thought, No way the next is heads—but it was. No way the next is heads—it was again. Five heads in a row? Impossible—yet it happened. That’s the gambler’s mentality: The next one has to be different.

By the time Thibodeau realized the Pacers had cut the lead to two, the madness hadn’t stopped. Haliburton dashed down the court, reached the free-throw line, stepped back, and launched a three. The ball arced high over the rim and swished through the net—nothing but net.

Haliburton thought he’d sunk the game-winner, leaving no time for the Knicks. Surrounded by teammates, he clasped his hands around his neck, mimicking the “choke you” gesture.

This was the same move Reggie Miller, the Pacers legend, made at Madison Square Garden over 20 years ago. Back then, Miller dropped 25 points in a quarter, leaped onto the scorer’s table, and struck the conquering pose. Miller was courtside as a commentator for this game, recalling not just his 25-point quarter but also his 8-point-in-9-seconds comeback—another Madison Square Garden miracle.

Because the West has dominated the East for so long, modern fans know little about these Eastern Conference legends. But American fans still relish the stories. Before this Knicks-Pacers East Finals showdown, famous New York bars hosted viewing parties—cover charges applied, on top of drink prices. It was on those bar screens that Haliburton, hands around his neck, sent the game into overtime.

Overtime leveled the playing field. After Brunson was pressured out of bounds by Andrew Nembhard—and the Pacers’ challenge was upheld—Thibodeau’s players stood stunned, barely processing the fourth-quarter collapse.

No screenwriter would dare pen this script. Who’d buy Nixmith hitting six straight threes? Is that even Curry-level? Seems like a forced comeback. But reality outdid fiction, more stunning and unpredictable than any plot.

This game threw the East Finals into chaos. Just like the Nuggets stealing Game 1 from the Thunder, expect wild swings ahead. The Knicks, with home-court advantage, now risk falling behind 1-3.

Sure, the Knicks still hold roster advantages: Towns and Mitchell Robinson remain mismatches the Pacers can’t solve, and Brunson won’t foul out early next game. But once the Pacers get rolling, stopping them might be easier said than done.