Heroes, zeros of Game 1: OG Anunoby came up short all night

Heroes and zeros of the Knicks’ 138-135 Game 1 overtime loss to the Pacers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden:

Hero 

Aaron Nesmith pulled his best Reggie Miller impression, erupting for 20 points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter as the Pacers mounted their huge comeback. 

Aaron Nesmith, who had a big fourth quarter, shoots a 3-pointer over Josh Hart during in Game 1 on May 21, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post

Zero 

OG Anunoby was quiet most of the night, and his missed free throw with 7.1 seconds left allowed the Pacers to tie the game with Tyrese Haliburton’s buzzer-beater. 

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) puts up a shot against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby. AP

Unsung hero 

It’s not often Tyrese Haliburton is the unsung hero, but that’s what happens when Nesmith has such a historic night. He hit the game-tying shot in the final seconds of regulation. 

Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs

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Key stat 

23 Points scored by the Pacers in the final 3:14 of the fourth quarter — the most in that amount of time in playoff history in the play-by-play era.