The Knicks seemed ready to coast to a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. They held a commanding 17-point lead with under six and a half minutes to play in the fourth quarter on their home floor. Then, one shot at a time, they completely unraveled, before losing in overtime 138-135. It is the type of loss that can decimate a team and could ultimately cost the Knicks a shot at a championship.
After going up 17, the Knicks conceded seven 3-pointers to the Pacers over the final five minutes of the game, before Tyrese Haliburton tied things up on a last-second buzzer-beater to send the game to overtime.
Even after the Knicks gave up big three after big three, the lead they had built up still seemed sufficient enough to get them to the finish line. The led the game by 14 points with under three minutes to play. Yet, the Pacers, as the Knicks had done to the Celtics multiple times last series, found a way to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.
With the collapse, the Knicks have lost the home court advantage they started the series with, and suddenly things feel very uncertain.
Extra minutes hurt them
The Knicks' depth issues have been discussed at length. They are a team that can go seven or eight players, on a good day, deep off the bench. Letting a lead like that slip away, and forcing your starters to play more high-pressure minutes hurt almost as much as the collapse itself.
The Pacers, on the other hand, played 10 players. They can afford to go to overtime and extend games because they have the legs to do it. The Knicks have remained healthy, so far in the playoffs, despite the high workloads. Adding to the workload by not handling business at the end of games is the easiest way to reverse that.
Knicks resolve will be tested
The Knicks will have to dig deep and find a way to respond in Game 2. They are used to being on the other side of games such as this. For them, these meltdowns are usually comebacks, and they're the final team on the court celebrating.
But, as we have been shown over and over again these playoffs, they are unpredictable, there is no script to be followed. The Knicks will have to have a short memory and come back out on the court in front of their home fans in Game 2 with every intention of getting this series back even.