Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle praised his team’s resilience after their 138-135 overtime victory against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night. Carlisle described the win as “day one of 13 days” and emphasized the long road ahead in the series.
He highlighted the team’s ability to hang tough late, saying, “Our guys found a way to get the thing to overtime, and then made enough plays.” Carlisle reminded that “it’s a 48-minute game, and tonight it was 53 minutes,” underlining the extended effort required in overtime.
Carlisle credited bench player Ben Sheppard for his strong minutes, which allowed Aaron Nesmith to come back fresh and ignite the late-game rally. “Aaron got hot certainly at the right time,” Carlisle said, noting Nesmith’s clutch shooting down the stretch.
The coach avoided commenting on Tyrese Haliburton’s choke gesture after his game-tying shot, calling the fan environment “difficult enough” and saying, “Tyrese has earned the right to do whatever he wants.” Haliburton’s buzzer-beater jumper tied the game and forced overtime, a moment Carlisle compared to Damian Lillard’s memorable shot in the 2020 bubble.
Carlisle reflected on the team’s experience with clutch situations this season. “We’ve had a lot of these games,” he said, citing previous comebacks and close wins. “It’s a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.”
During the final moments, Nesmith’s shooting spree was crucial. Carlisle explained that Nesmith’s 14-0 run was possible because Sheppard’s solid defense allowed Nesmith to rest and then return “fresh” to the floor.
Despite New York’s strong shooting, 51.1% from the field, and contributions from Jalen Brunson’s 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 35 points, turnovers and late-game execution faltered for the Knicks. Indiana capitalized to complete the largest comeback in the final minutes of a playoff game since 1998.
Carlisle also noted the hostile environment at Madison Square Garden, saying the arena “never disappoints” in intensity. He described the atmosphere as a “test of mettle” for his players.
Game 2 is set for Friday night at Madison Square Garden, where Carlisle expects “another war” and said both teams have “things to clean up.”
