Choke Sign, Clutch Shots

Pacers Get Past Hasty Celebration and Late 14-Point Deficit for OT Win Over Knicks

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NEW YORK - Tyrese Haliburton was a bit premature as he mimicked Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller's infamous "choke" sign at Madison Square Garden.

Nevertheless, the guard and his Indiana Pacers teammates made certain the gesture did not come back to haunt them in a 138-135 victory in overtime over the New York Knicks on May 21 in Game 1 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference Finals.

Haliburton scored 31 points and forward Aaron Nesmith added 30, highlighting an eight-for-nine performance from three-point range by making five treys during the final 3 1/2 minutes of regulation. That surge allowed the fourth-seeded Pacers to overcome a 14-point deficit in the final 2:39 of the fourth quarter.

"It's unreal. It's probably the best feeling in the world for me. I love it when that basket feels like an ocean and anything you toss up, you feel like it's going to go in. It's so much fun," Nesmith said of his sizzling shooting.

Haliburton appeared to win it following a friendly carom off the rim on an apparent three-pointer at the buzzer, only for replays to show that his toe was on the line. That made it a two-pointer and forced overtime.

When he thought the game was over, Haliburton made the choke sign in the direction of the Knicks' bench. He said: "I thought it was a three. I tried to hit the celly. It didn't work. But we finished it in overtime."