1994 Eastern Conference Finals vs Knicks

Lore & Background

The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals was the Pacers' coming-out party on the national stage. After years of rebuilding, Larry Brown's team had finally broken through, and they faced a Knicks squad that was the defending Eastern Conference champion. The series was defined by its physicality, with both teams battling for every inch of the court—elbows flew, bodies hit the hardwood, and every possession felt like a fistfight. Reggie Miller emerged as a superstar, most famously in Game 5 when he scored 25 points in the fourth quarter, including a legendary exchange with Knicks fan Spike Lee. That performance, known as 'The Miller Game,' is one of the most iconic in NBA playoff history—a cold-blooded shooting display that left Spike Lee frozen in his courtside seat and the Garden stunned into silence. The series went the full seven games, with the Knicks ultimately prevailing in a decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but a missed jumper by Miller—a shot that had been automatic just two nights earlier—sealed their fate. Despite the loss, the series established the Pacers as a legitimate contender and set the stage for their future success. The rivalry with the Knicks would continue to burn bright, with the teams meeting again in the 1995 and 1998 playoffs, each time with the same raw intensity. For Pacers fans, the 1994 conference finals remains a bittersweet memory—a heartbreaking defeat, but also a moment of immense pride. It was the first time the franchise had truly announced itself to the NBA world, and it laid the foundation for the team's identity as a tough, resilient, and never-say-die organization that would never back down from a fight, especially in New York.

In Their Own Story

The Garden was a cauldron of noise, a sea of blue and orange that seemed to swallow the court whole. Reggie Miller could feel the hate radiating from the stands, but he fed on it. With each taunt from Spike Lee, with each roar of the crowd, he grew sharper. The ball felt like a part of his hand, and the rim looked as wide as the ocean. He rose, he shot, and the net barely moved. Point after point, the Knicks' lead melted away. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Garden was silent, and Reggie stood alone, a finger to his lips, silencing an entire city. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated magic—a moment that would live forever in Pacers lore. For Pacers fans, it wasn't just a win; it was a declaration: we belong here, and we're not afraid of your noise.

Reader's Guide

The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals represents a pivotal era in Pacers history: the franchise's emergence as a legitimate NBA power. For years, the Pacers had been a solid but unspectacular team, often falling short in the playoffs. The 1993-94 season marked a turning point, as Larry Brown instilled a disciplined, defensive-minded system that complemented the team's explosive offense. The series against the Knicks was a brutal education, teaching the Pacers what it took to compete at the highest level. This era was defined by the rise of Reggie Miller as a clutch superstar and the development of a core that would contend for years to come. The series also cemented the Pacers-Knicks rivalry as one of the NBA's most intense, fueled by the contrasting personalities of Miller and Spike Lee, and the physical battles between the two teams. The 1994 conference finals matters because it showed the Pacers—and the league—that they belonged. It was a painful loss, but it forged the identity of a team that would never back down from a challenge.

Did You Know?

• Reggie Miller's 25-point fourth quarter in Game 5 is the second-highest scoring quarter in NBA playoff history.
• The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals was the first time the Pacers had advanced past the second round since joining the NBA.
• Spike Lee's courtside taunting of Reggie Miller became a defining image of the series and the rivalry.
• The Knicks went on to lose the 1994 NBA Finals in seven games to the Houston Rockets.