How the Pacers pulled off a never-before-seen comeback in NBA historical past
Sport 1 of the 2025 Jap Convention Finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks can be remembered by basketball followers for a very long time after one of the crucial unbelievable comebacks in NBA historical past.
Getting into Wednesday evening, groups main by not less than 14 factors within the closing 2:45 of the fourth quarter had been 994-0 since play-by-play monitoring started in 1997-98.
After the Knicks’ 138-135, time beyond regulation loss to the Pacers, these such groups are actually 994-1.
Earlier than the comeback might start, New York first wanted to take a considerable lead. Beginning with when star guard Jalen Brunson went to the bench along with his fifth foul, the Knicks someway pulled off a 14-0 run to go up 108-92 with seven minutes and 24 seconds to go.
That run was punctuated by a peak New York sequence: A rugged defensive cease resulting in a layup on the opposite finish.
The Indiana comeback really started in earnest with 4:45 left on the clock — that was when guard Aaron Nesmith hit his first 3-pointer of the quarter to chop the result in 113-101.
After the groups traded buckets, Nesmith hit one other 3 with 3:14 to go, just for Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton to commerce lengthy balls on the following two possessions.
With 2:04 left in regulation, Nesmith hit his third 3-ball of the quarter to make it a 119-111 recreation.
Nesmith was removed from completed. After a Pascal Siakam free throw and Brunson layup, Nesmith linked once more from deep to make it 121-115 with 51 seconds to go.
The Knicks obtained a little bit respiratory room with a Karl-Anthony Cities hook shot, besides by this level Nesmith was on one other airplane of existence, and hit his fifth straight 3-pointer to make it a five-point recreation with 34 seconds to go.
At this level, you’d anticipate New York to let actually anyone else on the Pacers shoot. However after a turnover on the following Knicks possession, Nesmith shook unfastened — thanks partly to a Josh Hart stumble — for his SIXTH deep shot of the fourth, making it 123-121 with 22.1 seconds to go.
The subsequent 15 seconds of the sport changed into a free-throw contest, one which New York misplaced. On the following three possessions, the Knicks went 2-of-4 from the foul line whereas Indiana went 2-of-2. (Guess who hit the strain free throws? Nesmith!)
That meant, with roughly seven seconds to go, the Pacers solely trailed 125-123, and that arrange this totally bonkers shot by Haliburton — who tried to win the sport with a 3, just for his toe to be on the road.
New York nonetheless had the psychological fortitude to take an early lead in time beyond regulation, opening up a four-point benefit with a little bit over three minutes to go. That deficit was nothing for the Pacers, although, who instantly stormed again but once more.
The defining stretch got here within the closing minute of time beyond regulation, when Indy twice trailed by one however each occasions lovely ball motion led to scores.
After a lay-in by Andrew Nembhard made it 136-135 with 26.7 seconds to go, the Knicks couldn’t rating on both of their final two possessions, and the Pacers escaped away with a first-of-its-kind comeback.
