1994 Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 vs. New York Knicks

Lore & Background

The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals pitted the upstart Pacers, led by Reggie Miller, against the rugged New York Knicks, coached by Pat Riley. The Knicks had taken a commanding 3-1 series lead, and Game 5 was at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks were nearly unbeatable. The Pacers faced elimination, but Miller delivered one of the greatest playoff performances in NBA history. He scored 25 points in the fourth quarter alone, hitting clutch three-pointers and free throws, while also engaging in a famous trash-talking duel with Knicks fan Spike Lee, who was sitting courtside. The Pacers won 93-86, forcing a Game 6 back in Indianapolis.

In Their Own Story

The Garden was a cauldron of noise, the Knicks faithful ready to celebrate a Finals berth. Reggie Miller, calm amidst the storm, caught the ball on the wing. He jabbed, rose, and let fly—a three that cut the lead. Then another. And another. Each shot was a dagger, each swish a taunt. He turned to Spike Lee, flashed a choke sign, and the crowd's roar turned to stunned silence. The Pacers, down 3-1, refused to die. Miller's 25-point fourth quarter was a symphony of defiance, a solo that rewrote the script. When the final buzzer sounded, the Knicks were left in shock, and the Pacers had new life. The Garden's exit doors creaked open long before the game ended, as thousands of shell-shocked fans trudged into the Manhattan night.

Reader's Guide

The occasion was Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, with the Pacers facing elimination against the Knicks. New York had bullied Indiana with physical defense all series, but Reggie Miller refused to fold. What happened was pure magic: Miller scored 39 points, with 25 in the fourth quarter—still the most ever by any player in a single playoff quarter. He hit six three-pointers and all 11 of his free throws, each one punctuated by a glare at courtside superfan Spike Lee, who had been heckling him all series. The Pacers won 93-86. Why it's remembered: This game is a cornerstone of Pacers lore, showcasing Miller's clutch gene and the team's never-say-die attitude. It also deepened the Pacers-Knicks rivalry, which remains one of the NBA's most heated. The game's drama and Miller's heroics are celebrated as a defining moment in franchise history.

Did You Know?

• Reggie Miller's 25 points in the fourth quarter are the most by any player in a playoff quarter in NBA history.
• Miller made six three-pointers in the game, tying an NBA playoff record at the time.
• The Pacers' victory forced a Game 6, which they also won, before losing Game 7 in New York.
• Spike Lee's courtside presence and trash talk with Miller became a legendary part of NBA playoff lore.