With Reggie Miller in the building, Tyrese Haliburton knew what to do.
The Indiana Pacers star sent Wednesday’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 to overtime with another sensational buzzer-beater that capped a stunning New York Knicks collapse in the fourth quarter. It led to a 138-135 Pacers overtime win to steal a 1-0 lead in front of a stunned Madison Square Garden crowd.
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Thanks in large part to hot 3-point shooting from Aaron Nesmith, the Pacers rallied from a 113-98 deficit in the final five minutes of regulation and trailed the Knicks, 125-123 with 7.3 seconds remaining.
The Pacers got the ball into the hands of Haliburton, who dribbled full court, then circled back past the 3-point line with a chance to win the game. As the clock ticked down, he stepped up and shot from the top of the key. The ball bounced off the back of the rim, straight up and in as the buzzer sounded.
Haliburton made a beeline for the sideline, where Pacers legend Miller was on the broadcast call for TNT. He then delivered the same choke sign that Miller gave the Knicks after sinking New York with 25-fourth quarter points in a Game 5 win in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
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Haliburton’s shot wasn’t a game-winner. Replay review correctly determined that his right toe was on the 3-point line. But it sent the game to overtime. And the Pacers held on for the 3-point win in the extra session.
After the game, Haliburton spoke with TNT about the choke sign.
“Everyone was wanting me to do it,” he said. “I was going to hold it for the right, but it felt appropriate.”
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