Pacers, Knicks Renew Historic Rivalry in Eastern Conference Finals

The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks have a storied rivalry in the NBA playoffs, having met eight times with several memorable moments involving players like Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, and John Starks, as well as Knicks superfan Spike Lee. Their intense battles in the 1990s, especially the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals where Miller scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Pacers and taunted Spike Lee, helped define a decade of NBA basketball. The rivalry reignited recently, with the Pacers defeating the Knicks in a dramatic seven-game series last year, overcoming series deficits. Both teams have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals again, marking their ninth playoff meeting, with the Pacers having won five of the previous eight series. Historically, the Knicks beat the Pacers in the 1999 Conference Finals as a No. 8 seed, while Indiana returned the favor the following year to reach their only NBA Finals. This renewed rivalry continues to captivate fans as the two teams face off once more at a high-stakes stage in the playoffs.