The basketball community was looking forward to another chapter of the Knicks-Pacers rivalry. However, nothing could have prepared them for Game 1 of the ECF. The Knicks were trotting to a victory. Suddenly, a flurry of Aaron Nesmith’s triples and a clutch display from Tyrese Haliburton burned a 17-point lead within minutes! The overtime thriller saw the Pacers do the unthinkable yet again.

Since tracking began in 1997-98, teams with a 14-point lead with 2:45 remaining have won all 994 games. Tonight, the Pacers made a dent in this impeccable history. And although Magic Johnson had the Knicks going through to the NBA Finals, he didn’t miss on giving credit to the Pacers for their remarkable feat.

“Game 1 was must-see-TV because all the stars showed up and showed out! Haliburton had 31 and 11 rebounds, Brunson finished with 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 35 points and 12 rebounds!” he wrote in his tweet.

But this was more than just must-see-TV. The Garden was roaring at every Knicks rally. Their 14-0 run in the fourth quarter was the perfect way to cap the night. However, the Indiana Pacers were looking for one jolt to provide them with life.

Nesmith delivered, hitting six threes in the final quarter, helping them force OT. From that moment, the Knicks were frantic. They did strike first in overtime. But a string of turnovers and the Pacers’ electric offense threw the Knicks out of their own home. MSG was left stunned. However, there were a few faces in the crowd who couldn’t contain their emotions.

Among them was WNBA superstar and Fever sophomore Caitlin Clark.

Caitlin Clark was in absolute delirium watching Tyrese Haliburton & Co.

The Indiana basketball community has continually shared support for each other. Only a few days ago, the Fever played their season opener against the Chicago Sky. Despite being in the middle of the postseason, Tyrese Haliburton came through to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to show his support for the WNBA team.

After their dominant win, Clark and Haliburton shared a heartwarming moment on the sidelines. But who knew the WNBA star would be returning the favor? She was at Madison Square Garden, watching very bit of the Pacers’ breathtaking comeback in Game 1.

Obviously, she was unlike Magic Johnson. Her heart kept pumping for the Pacers to win the game. However, even she couldn’t comprehend the manner in which the proceedings unfolded. Having seen it multiple times during this postseason, Clark made a bold claim.

“PACERS ARE THE GREATEST COMEBACK TEAM I’VE EVER SEEN,” she wrote on Twitter while still being at the arena.

Both Clark and Tyrese Haliburton are arguably two of the biggest sports attractions in Indiana right now. Each of them found success this week. But for the Pacers, Haliburton has the opportunity to etch himself into history that may trump Reggie Miller’s place in the franchise. Of course, the former three-point shooting king will remain eternal within the Pacers organization. But what he could never attain was a championship. Tyrese Haliburton is three wins away from taking the Pacers back there for the first time since 2000.

After this performance, how close do you think the Pacers are to making that a reality? Let us know your views in the comments below.