Tyrese Haliburton delivered 31 points and 11 assists in Indiana’s 138-135 overtime victory against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but it was his late-game poise and post-shot celebration that drew the most attention.
After banking in a dramatic long jumper at the end of regulation to tie the game, Haliburton mimicked Reggie Miller’s famous choke sign—aimed toward the crowd at Madison Square Garden.
Asked when the idea to make the gesture came to him, Haliburton said, “I wasn’t like plotting on it or anything. Everybody wanted me to do it… but it’s just got to feel right. And it felt right the time.”
The shot was initially believed to be a game-winning three, but officials ruled his foot was on the line.
“Yeah, for sure,” Haliburton said when asked if he thought it was a three. “But quickly in my celebration, somebody said it was a two… then my focus just became winning it.”
Indiana overcame a 14-point deficit with under three minutes remaining in regulation, a comeback sparked by Aaron Nesmith’s timely shooting.
Haliburton emphasized Nesmith’s two-way performance: “I think to do what he did today while also having to guard Jalen Brunson for probably 30 minutes is very difficult to do.”
Nesmith finished with 30 points on 8-of-9 shooting from three-point range.
Obi Toppin added a critical putback dunk during the rally, and Andrew Nembhard hit the go-ahead layup in overtime.
“We just had a lot of different guys contribute,” Haliburton said. “Really proud of our group.”
The game added another chapter to Haliburton’s personal rivalry with Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, with whom he shares history from the FIBA World Cup and last year’s playoffs.
“He’s a great player. I love competing against him,” Haliburton said. “Just really special to compete against him and just compete in general.”
Reflecting on Indiana’s ability to respond under pressure, Haliburton credited team continuity.
“I think the front office’s decision to keep the majority of our group together… was really big,” he said. “We’ve been through everything together.”
Haliburton also noted how playing fast and applying pressure wore down the Knicks late in the game.
“I think that’s a part of our identity. How can we wear on teams for 48 minutes?” he said. “I thought we did a good job offensively of playing our style.”
When asked about his mindset in late-game moments, Haliburton pointed to his upbringing and confidence instilled by teammates.
“I already have the confidence to take the shot in the moment, but I have that confidence from my group,” he said.
Indiana now leads the series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday night in New York.
