On Monday, the Indiana Pacers celebrated the 32nd anniversary of Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, when Reggie Miller pulled out the “choke sign” after stunning the New York Knicks with a late scoring burst.
The Pacers didn’t just stop there. Their X account mocked the Knicks by placing a “100” emoji next to a photo of Miller making the choke sign. The post was made just two days before the Knicks face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Miller scored a playoff record eight points in nine seconds as the Pacers outscored the Knicks 35-16 in the fourth quarter to seize a 3-2 series lead in 1994. Although the Knicks won the next two games to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals, Pacers fans continue to remind their bitter rivals of Miller’s antics three decades ago — at every opportunity. Last year, for example, Tyrese Haliburton also invoked the “choke sign” after he and the Pacers rallied back to stun the Knicks in Game 1 of the East Finals.
Knicks Fans Fire Back at Pacers
Knicks fans feel the Pacers took a shot at their franchise, albeit in a subtle way.
“you literally lost that series by choking game 6 and 7,” wrote one fan, reminding the Pacers that they dropped a closeout Game 6 at home before losing Game 7.
“Imagine how comfortable that couch gotta be for you to watch the Knicks in the final and cry yourself to sleep every game,” wrote one fan, mocking the Pacers for missing the playoffs this year and also losing their lottery pick to the LA Clippers.
“Man yall be posting anything to make it about the Knicks 😂😂u guys gotta be so bored,” added another Knicks fan.
“Y’all are obsessed,” added another Knicks fan.
Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals
While past Knicks teams had developed the reputation of choking away high-stakes games, there’s something different about this version of the Knicks, who take a historic 11-game lead into the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
During their win streak, the Knicks have crushed their opponents by an average margin of 23.8 points, while shooting 53.3% from the field and 41.3% from three. Along the way, they swept the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Although the Spurs enter the NBA Finals as betting favorites, ESPN’s Ben Golliver feels the pressure is on the Spurs to slow the red-hot Knicks, not the other way around.
“The Knicks posted a blistering 123.0 offensive rating in their two regular-season games against San Antonio, and they torched the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship (which doesn’t officially count in the standings),” Golliver highlighted.
“While the Spurs ranked third in defensive efficiency during the regular season, they conceded more points per possession to the Knicks than any of their opponents.
“This Finals will be decided by San Antonio’s ability — or inability — to slow the New York juggernaut,” he added.
Game 1 of the Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The Knicks are eyeing their first championship title since 1973, while the Spurs are seeking their first title in the post-Tim Duncan era.
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