1994 Eastern Conference Finals vs Knicks
The seven-game war that forged a rivalry—and nearly broke New York's will.
The 1994 Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks was a bruising, seven-game war that defined a generation of Pacers basketball. It marked the franchise's first trip to the conference finals since moving to the NBA in 1976, and it set the stage for an intense rivalry that would last for years. The series was a clash of styles—the Pacers' high-powered offense led by Reggie Miller versus the Knicks' gritty, defensive-minded approach under Pat Riley—and it produced some of the most memorable moments in Pacers history.
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 had lost in the Eastern Conference Finals the previous year to the Chicago Bulls. 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—the second-most points ever scored in a fourth quarter in NBA playoff history (behind Sleepy Floyd's 29 in 1987)—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 Eastern Conference Finals (Knicks won 4-3) and the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Pacers won 4-1), 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.
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.
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