Tyrese Haliburton put the cherry on the cake for the Pacers after Aaron Nesmith drained five triples in the final three minutes to pull off a nearly impossible comeback against the Knicks at the end of regulation time. Haliburton tied the game 125-125 at the end of regulation, and the Pacers stole the game in overtime and won 138-135. After the game, Haliburton confessed he shouldn’t have copied Reggie Miller’s celebration in the game-tying shot at the end of regulation.
He initially said, “Everybody’s been wanting me to do it. I was going to hold it for the right time, that felt appropriate. And then uh you know it went to overtime, so we we’re going to have to save it for later.” However, in the post-game press conference, he gave a more detailed opinion on the celebration.
When asked when he decided to do that celebration, he said, “In the moment, I mean I wasn’t like plotting on it or anything, I just… Everybody wanted me to do it like last year, at some different point, but it’s just got to, it’s got to feel right, and it felt right at the time… If I would have known it was a two, I would not have done it. So I think I might have wasted it. If I do it again, then people might say I’m aura farming, so I’m not, I don’t plan on using it again.”
As Karl Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby both missed one of their two free throws down the stretch, the Pacers were able to get the ball for the final possession before overtime. Haliburton, who initially drove in and realized Mitchell Robinson had the size advantage on him if he tried to finish at the rim, went back to the three-point line to toss up the final shot. After a massive bounce on the rim, the ball dropped into the net as Madison Square Garden nearly fell silent.
Haliburton’s hands immediately went on his neck to symbolize Reggie Miller’s iconic Game 5 celebration from the Pacers’ 1994 series against the Knicks.
How Reggie Miller Reacted To Tyrese Haliburton’s Celebration
Reggie Miller was befittingly on call for the game with TNT as he sat courtside for the coverage of this game. He seemed amazed and couldn’t stop laughing on coverage after Haliburton mimicked his celebration.
Nasty troll job of the Knicks by TNT here with the cutaway to Reggie Miller. pic.twitter.com/lf2NbIinAr
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) May 22, 2025
After Haliburton made the shot and copied his celebration, he also seemed to point at Miller on the sidelines. TNT coverage also spotted Miller pointing right back at Haliburton like a proud Pacers legend near the end of the game.
This shot forced overtime, just like the Game 5 shot in 1994 also tied the game between the Knicks and the Pacers. Hence, making this a befitting tribute after all and not something Haliburton should regret. The Pacers now head into Game 2 of the series with a 1-0 series lead.
