Knicks choke away double-digit lead late after Pacers pull off Reggie Miller-esque heroics

With Reggie Miller on the call the Indiana Pacers paid homage to their franchise legend on Wednesday night Well it wasn't a direct homage -- but the New York Knicks in their first Eastern Conference Finals battle of the st century blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to drop Encounter against Indiana - New York led by as multiple as with just over six minutes to go and even by with less than three but it was no match for the Pacers CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS COMAaron Nesmith did his best Miller impression by drilling six consecutive three-pointers to help Indiana cut their deficit to just two points with seconds to go After the Knicks on two occasions went -for- from the line Tyrese Haliburton hit a buzzer-beater that he thought was a three and did Miller's infamous choke signal while pointing at him But Haliburton's toe was on the line and the competition headed to overtime New York got out to a four-point lead to start overtime but a - Pacers run gave them their first lead since it was - in the second quarter Neither unit got out to more than a one-point lead for the next two-plus minutes until former Knick Obi Toppin slammed one home with seconds left to go up three The Knicks missed two game-tying threes and the Pacers stole the achievement Teams leading a playoff meeting by nine-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff tournament had been - since entering Wednesday Also since teams are now - when trailing by seven-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff contest the Pacers have won three of those games this season alone THUNDER'S SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER WINS FIRST CAREER NBA MVP AWARDUnfortunately for the Knicks it was a taste of their own medicine they had completed comebacks of and points against the Boston Celtics to win their second-round series Haliburton and Nesmith had and points respectively of Nesmith's came in that epic fourth quarter Jalen Brunson led the way with points while Karl-Anthony Towns had plus rebounds but neither hit their game-tying three-pointers in the final seconds This series is a rematch of the second round last year which Indiana won in seven games against an injury-riddled Knicks squad but it's also who the Knicks faced in both the and Eastern Conference Finals the teams split both of those series In fact the Knicks and Pacers faced each other four times in the playoffs during the s with both teams winning a pair Both of New York's wins sent them to the NBA Finals Now the rivalry is hotter than ever Challenge is Friday night in Madison Square Garden And if there's any saving grace for the Knicks they would wind up winning the series where Miller hit them with his choke signal Follow Fox News Digital s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter