Feb 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball while New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pacers-Knicks Matchup May Not Be Close

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated May 17, 2025 7:14 PM ET

The stage has been set for what should be a thrilling Eastern Conference Finals.

After obliterating the Boston Celtics at home by 38 points to close out the series, the New York Knicks will host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the ECF on Wednesday.

This is the first time since 2000 that the Knicks have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. A year prior was the last time they appeared in the NBA Finals. As for Indiana, Rick Carlisle's squad got swept in last year's ECF by the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

The Pacers have only one Finals appearance — and it occurred in 2000. Indiana defeated New York coincidentally before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

Suffice it to say, but both of these franchises are starving for a shot at an NBA Title.

The Knicks have a 2-1 record against the Pacers this season, with an average win margin of 19 points #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/WSMbf3vqax
— KnickShowYo (@KNICKSHOWY0) May 14, 2025

Indiana and New York squared off versus one another three times in the regular season. Here are the scores of those games:

New York wins 123-98 (October 25th)

Indiana wins 132-121 (November 10th)

New York wins 128-115 (February 11th)

The Knicks won the only matchup at Madison Square Garden. The teams then split the other two games played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. As one can see, none of these games were particularly close.

Will a similar story play out this way moving forward? It could depending on the game, where players may be fatigued on short rest, resulting in a blowout. This narrative has been occurring more and more in recent years, given the taxing level of playoff basketball.

The Pacers are 26-22 vs the Knicks in the playoffs heading into the 2025 ECF

Pacers enter the series as +126 underdogs. pic.twitter.com/Jso4I4S5xq
— Kory Waldron (@Just_KWal) May 17, 2025

Surely there are some things to take away from these initial meetings. At the same time, two of them occurred before Christmas. These teams are playing at a far greater level now compared to back then.

Indiana is a far deeper team. With the Pacers looking to push tempo and run the Knicks ragged in transition, there's a world where Indiana could capitalize and punish New York by a substantial margin if Tom Thibodeau runs his team into the ground minutes-wise. There's only one day of rest in-between each game of this series.

With a short bench, New York likely will be forced to log heavy minutes with its starters. Throw on top the emotion and grind of these games, and seeing a couple blowouts wouldn't necessarily be a shock.

At the same time, these are two highly-competitive squads. For the fans' sake across the NBA, let's hope we get to see seven games coming down to the wire.

More Indiana Pacers news: Pacers' Surprising Secret Weapon Has Fueled Dangerous Playoff Run

Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Responds to LeBron James Praise

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.

This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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