Knicks, Pacers to rekindle epic rivalry that featured some of NBA's most iconic moments

The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks volition play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals connected Wednesday nighttime successful Madison Square Garden, wherever they volition adhd different section to their storied playoff history.

The Knicks and Pacers clashed successful the playoffs six times from 1993-2000, with those bid littered with heated moments betwixt players and fans alike. 

Below are immoderate of the astir iconic moments from the clashes betwixt the bitter rivals implicit the years.

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New York Knicks defender John Starks, right, fouls Indiana Pacers defender Reggie Miller during a crippled connected April 2, 1996, successful Indianapolis. (JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The Headbutt

The Knicks were up to 2-0 implicit the Pacers successful the archetypal circular of the NBA playoffs successful 1993 erstwhile tempers flared successful the 3rd quarter. Knicks prima defender John Starks, aft scoring, was trash-talking towards Reggie Miller. 

The trash-talk culminated with Starks headbutting Miller. Starks was promptly ejected from the game. The Pacers won that Game 3, but the Knicks won the ensuing Game 4 and the series. 

However, the groundwork for the bitterness betwixt the teams was laid with the headbutt. 

The Choke Gesture

In 1994, the 2 teams met again, this clip successful the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks were looking to instrumentality a commanding 3-2 pb successful Game 5 and were up 70-58 successful the 3rd quarter. 

However, Miller dominated the 4th quarter, wheres helium scored 25 of his 39 points. Throughout the 4th quarter, Miller was going backmost and distant with Knicks superfan Spike Lee. 

Miller taunted Lee by making a now-infamous choke gesture. The Pacers won that Game 5 down Millers’ beardown show but mislaid the adjacent 2 games, and the Knicks won the bid successful 7 games and went to the NBA Finals. 

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New York Knicks' Larry Johnson knocks down a 3-pointer and is fouled by Indiana Pacers' Antonio Davis for a uncommon 4-point play successful the Knicks' playoff triumph connected June 5, 1999. (Linda Cataffo/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

The Improbable Comeback

For the 3rd consecutive year, the Pacers and Knicks faced disconnected successful the playoffs successful 1995, this clip successful the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

Miller, who had been astatine the bosom of the rivalry, authored 1 of the astir incredulous comebacks successful NBA playoff history. 

The Knicks were up 105-99 with16 seconds near successful the 4th fourth of Game 1 erstwhile Miller turned the crippled connected its caput by scoring 8 points successful 9 seconds. 

The Pacers prima drilled a 3-pointer with astir 16 seconds left, past deed different 3-pointer aft helium stole the Knicks' inbound pass. After the Knicks missed a brace of escaped throws and a put-back attempt, Miller grabbed the rebound and was subsequently fouled. 

Miller went to the escaped propulsion line, buried 2 escaped throws, and gave the Pacers a 107-105 lead. 

The 1995 series, similar the 1994 matchup, went the afloat 7 games, but the Pacers prevailed this clip and moved connected to the Eastern Conference finals. 

Larry Johnson’s 4-point Play

The 2 teams met successful the 1998 Eastern Conference semifinals, but the Pacers were dense favorites owed to Knicks’ prima Patrick Ewing’s wrist injury. The Pacers dispatched the Knicks successful 5 games. 

However, successful the 1999 Eastern Conference finals, the 2 teams met again, and the Knicks were not arsenic overmatched arsenic they were the anterior season.

The Knicks won the bid successful six games, with Johnson delivering 1 of the astir iconic shots successful franchise past successful Game 3. 

The Pacers held a 91-88 pb with six seconds near successful the crippled erstwhile Johnson nailed a 3-pointer and was besides fouled by Antonio Davis. Johnson deed the escaped propulsion to springiness the Knicks a 92-91 lead, and that people would clasp arsenic the Knicks snatched triumph retired of the jaws of defeat. 

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Indiana Pacers defender Tyrese Haliburton is shown during the 4th fourth of Game 7 successful the 2nd circular of the playoffs against the Knicks astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York connected May 19, 2024. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

An All-Time Shooting Performance

The Pacers and Knicks played again successful the Eastern Conference finals successful 2000, and the Pacers outlasted the Knicks successful six games, getting revenge for 1999. 

The adjacent clip the 2 teams met successful the playoffs was 2013 successful the Eastern Conference semifinals, with caller stars progressive to reignite the rivalry. 

The Paul George-led Pacers took down the Carmelo Anthony-led Knicks successful six games.

The 2 teams wouldn’t spot each different successful the playoffs again until past play successful the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Pacers dispatched a Knicks squad that was decimated by wounded successful Game 7 with a historical shooting performance. 

The Pacers changeable an astounding 67.1% from the tract successful that Game 7, bully for an NBA playoff record, successful their 130-109 victory. 

The Pacers clasp a 5-3 bid grounds implicit the Knicks successful the playoffs and clasp a 26-22 playoff grounds against the Knicks.

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