Timeline of recent off-court beef between Pacers and Knicks - ESPN

The 2025 Eastern Conference finals are a matchup straight out of the 1990s, but the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers also have fresh beef to bicker over.

New York and Indiana have faced off in the postseason eight times, including six in an eight-year span. The last time the Knicks were playing for a spot in the Finals was in 2000 — losing to the Pacers in six games.

One of the more iconic moments of the rivalry took place in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals. Pacers legend Reggie Miller did a choking celebration aimed at Knicks fan Spike Lee after scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter for a comeback win.

Of course, current Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton replicated Miller's choke celebration after hitting a game-tying basket in Game 1 of the 2025 series to send it to overtime on Wednesday. As he did the choke, Haliburton pointed to Miller, who was broadcasting the game for TNT and witnessed the moment in person.

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The two teams faced off in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, a series Indiana won in seven games. It sparked a modernized version of a rivalry dating back to 1993.

Here's a look at a modern mini-beef history between the Knicks and Pacers.

Game 7 at Madison Square Garden last year ended in a 130-109 Pacers victory in which they shot a whopping 67% from the field. Haliburton led Indiana with 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

After the game, he rocked a special hoodie on the podium with an image of Miller's famous choking gesture at Lee. Haliburton revealed that the two send texts to each other every day, but he downplayed the look.

«I mean, I'm just wearing a hoodie,» he said. «I like to be comfy on the plane.»

Haliburton and the Pacers'