NEW YORK — The Knicks had been the kings of comebacks this postseason.

But in Wednesday night’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, they received a bitter taste of their own medicine.

The Knicks led by 17 points with 6:26 remaining in the fourth quarter and by nine points with under a minute left, only to lose, 138-135, in overtime at Madison Square Garden.

Tyrese Haliburton’s long stepback 2-pointer tied the game, 125-125, and forced OT.

For a moment, it appeared Haliburton had drilled a game-winner at the Garden. Haliburton’s shot clanked off of the back of the rim and into the air, only to go through the net.

The Pacers celebrated as if they’d won, and Haliburton unleashed the choke taunt made famous by Reggie Miller — who was in the building as a TNT broadcaster — after a similarly improbable comeback at the Garden back in 1994.

But a review confirmed Haliburton’s toe was on the line, prompting OT.

Jalen Brunson’s driving floater with 35.2 seconds left in overtime gave the Knicks a 135-134 lead, but Andrew Nembhard’s layup with 26.1 seconds left served as the game-winner for Indiana.

That capped a devastating defeat for the Knicks in which the Pacers finished the fourth quarter on a 20-6 run, during which Aaron Nesmith made four 3-pointers, including three in the final minute.

Haliburton led the Pacers with 31 points and 11 assists, while Nesmith added 30 points, including eight 3-pointers.

Brunson scored a game-high 43 points for the Knicks.

Karl-Anthony Towns (35 points, 12 rebounds) and OG Anunony (16 points) missed a free throw apiece in the waning seconds of regulation.

©2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.