On June 1, 1994, Madison Square Garden bore witness to one of the most iconic moments in NBA playoff history. The New York Knicks were cruising with a 15-point lead early in the fourth quarter of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Finals. But then, Reggie Miller happened. In a jaw-dropping flurry, Miller scored 25 points in the final period, draining five three-pointers and leading the Indiana Pacers to a stunning comeback. The climax, however, wasn’t just on the scoreboard. After sinking a clutch shot, Miller turned to Knicks superfan Spike Lee—seated courtside—and grabbed his own throat in a mocking “choke” gesture, implying that the Knicks were collapsing under pressure. The crowd erupted in disbelief. Lee, who had been taunting Miller all game, sat stunned. The moment was electric: Miller standing defiantly, his eyes locked with Lee’s, a villain in the world’s most famous arena. Though the Knicks eventually won that series in seven games, that taunt didn’t just silence the Garden—it cast a long shadow over every Pacers-Knicks meeting that followed. Fast forward 31 years, and history seemed to loop back on itself.

On May 21, 2025, the Pacers and Knicks found themselves once again squaring off in the Eastern Conference Finals—this time in Game 1, once again at Madison Square Garden. With less than three minutes remaining, the Knicks led by 14 points. The Garden crowd, smelling victory, was already on its feet. But as they had done decades ago, the Pacers stormed back—this time led by Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton contributed 31 points and 11 assists, but it was Aaron Nesmith’s hot hand that scored the bucket. Nesmith hit six three-pointers in the fourth quarter—a playoff record—catalyzing a 21-7 Pacers run to close regulation. In the dying seconds, Haliburton stepped up and sank a long jumper that looked like the game-winner. Caught in the adrenaline rush and echoing Miller’s ghost, Haliburton turned to the crowd, wrapped his hands around his neck, and gave the same choke sign that had haunted Knicks fans since ’94. But this time, fate played a trick.

The replay showed Haliburton’s foot was on the line. The shot was a two, not a three—sending the game to overtime instead of sealing the win. And yet, the symbolism stuck. The Pacers went on to win 138-135 in overtime, handing the Knicks one of the most crushing collapses in playoff history. No team in 994 prior playoff games had blown a 14-point lead with less than 2:45 left on the clock. Until now. Haliburton wasn’t an architect of a comeback the way Miller had been, but his gesture—and its premature nature—still stirred the ghosts of the rivalry. “In the moment, I wasn’t plotting it,” he said later. “It felt right at the time, but if I had known it was a two, I would not have done it.”

The moment went viral immediately. Cameras caught Reggie Miller, now on TNT’s broadcast crew, grinning ear to ear as he pointed toward Haliburton from his courtside seat. He quickly covered his mouth, trying to stifle the reaction, but the flash of pride was unmistakable. “After I finished my postgame interview, we locked eyes and had a little moment,” Haliburton said. “We communicate pretty often, so it was definitely a special moment. Really cool he was in the building for that.”

This wasn’t Haliburton’s first tribute to Miller, either. After eliminating the Knicks in Game 7 of last year’s East Semifinals—also at MSG—he showed up to the postgame press conference wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with Miller’s choke pose. But the 2025 gesture hit differently. The stakes were higher. The Garden crowd was louder. And the collapse? Even more brutal. 

The ghosts of ‘94 had returned, and they were wearing blue and gold again. And just as the ghosts returned, so did the man who first summoned them. Reggie Miller, once the Garden’s ultimate villain, had something to say—not just about Haliburton’s gesture, but about his own legacy.

Reggie Miller clears the air about his villainous arc

Miller isn’t giving up being the villain at Madison Square Garden. During his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, he said that he finds the fans’ chants amusing. “Actually, I’ll be a little hurt if I don’t hear, ‘Reggie sucks.’ I kind of want that.”

One of the most vocal voices to start this chant was Spike Lee. But this thought on the rivalry is a little different. “So if you’re gonna try to stir up some stuff, I guarantee you me and Reggie are not going for that. We’re cool. That’s me and Reggie, but them people in Indiana, that’s another thing,” Lee said. The acclaimed director believes as Miller retired decades ago, and with that, there’s no longer any feud between the two.

To people who don’t know, at last year’s All‑Star Weekend, Lee hugged Miller on national television, truly signifying the end of the beef. But if the Knicks want to win this series, then the Pacers will visit the Garden two more times. Let’s see how they respond and if they will be able to channel the ’94 spirit to win the series after the taunts from opposition players.