Game 1 at Madison Square Garden didn’t just look familiar, but it also felt… familiar. The Pacers stormed back from a late-game deficit to stun the Knicks 138-135 in OT, and suddenly, and suddenly, everyone was thrown into a time warp. Tyrese Haliburton hitting a late dagger. The infamous “choke” gesture. Reggie Miller on the mic. And a stunned MSG crowd left searching for answers. But in the middle of this nightmare, Jalen Brunson was already bracing for the fallout, knowing there was more than just a loss to unpack. But Karl-Anthony Towns?

He’s not here to relive ghosts from 1995. “I mean, it’s our job to make history. So we’re not here to repeat history, we’re here to make history,” KAT said post-game, shutting down any attempt to compare this meltdown to Reggie Miller’s legendary 8 points in 9 seconds. “That doesn’t pop into my mind. I only think about the present and what we could do right now so we can make our own history.”

Any attempt to compare this meltdown to Reggie Miller’s legendary 8 points in 9 seconds instantly brings back flashbacks of one of the most brutal heartbreaks in Knicks playoff history. Back in 1995, during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Reggie silenced Madison Square Garden by scoring 8 points in just 8.9 seconds — two threes, a steal, and a pair of clutch free throws — turning a 6-point Knicks lead into a 107–105 Pacers win. The moment became iconic not just for the absurd stat line, but for the boldness of it all: Miller famously flashed the “choke” sign at Spike Lee, twisting the knife into New York’s collective heart.

So when Tyrese Haliburton buried that late three and hit the same “choke” gesture on national TV — with Reggie Miller himself calling the game courtside — it didn’t just sting. It echoed. Loudly. Haliburton, who’s shooting 61% in clutch time this postseason, made sure his moment hit more than just nostalgia.

Towns, who grew up in Jersey with a front-row seat to Knicks fandom, had every reason to let the moment get to him. But instead, he and Jalen Brunson were all business at the podium, even if the game left more questions than answers.

One of them being: Where was the foul? With under 30 seconds left in regulation, Brunson drove hard to the basket—and didn’t get the call. The Garden erupted. The bench protested. The replay showed what looked like a clear goaltend. But the whistles stayed silent. And Brunson?

Jalen Brunson calls out NBA refs: “No Explanation” for crucial missed call in Game 1 vs the Pacers

For your context, when a team captain asks referees for an explanation, they’re bound to provide one. “To answer your first question: no. No explanation,” Brunson said, when asked if the referees clarified why there was no goaltending call. And that wasn’t the only “what just happened?” moment down the stretch.

With the Knicks down by one in OT, Obi Toppin slammed home a fastbreak dunk for the Pacers that put them up three. It came so quick, it looked… intentional. Was the plan to let him score and go for the quick two? “I think we should have fouled,” Brunson admitted. “And we just didn’t.”

Missed call. Missed opportunity. And definitely a missed chance to close out. And just like that, the Knicks are down 0-1 in a series that already feels heavier than just basketball. The ghosts of playoff past are swirling again, and MSG isn’t exactly the most forgiving of haunted houses.

Because this loss shifts the pressure. Home court advantage? Gone. Momentum? Hijacked. And let’s not forget: the Pacers are one of the league’s fastest teams. Fall behind in this series, and you’re not just chasing the score but a blur. It’s been over a decade since the Knicks made the Eastern Conference Finals. Drop Game 2, and that drought starts looking longer. Meanwhile, Indiana?

They’re swaggering out of the Garden like they own the lease. Haliburton was electric. The bench was fearless. And the vibes were straight out of a Spike Lee fever dream—only this time, he was watching his team get gutted on their home court. And with Reggie Miller literally calling the game and Caitlin Clark courtside live-tweeting the carnage? Yeah, this wasn’t just a loss. This was a Knicks nightmare written by basketball’s most poetic trolls.

But as KAT said, this isn’t about history. It’s about what happens next. And if Game 1 was any indication, this series might just end up being one of the wildest sequels the Knicks have ever starred in. Now, Game 2 isn’t just a must-win. It’s an exorcism. And if the Knicks can’t flip the script, well… Reggie might not be the only ghost haunting the Garden by week’s end.