Knicks–Pacers rivalry
| First meeting | February 9, 1977 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | April 12, 2016 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse) |
| Next meeting | 2016 (TBD) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 202 |
| All-time series | 105–97 (NYK) |
| Regular season series | 86–75 (NYK) |
| Postseason results | 22–19 (IND) |
| Longest win streak | |
| Current win streak | W7 (IND) |
| Post-season history | |
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The Knicks–Pacers rivalry started in 1977 and quickly became one of the most bitter in NBA history. They met in the playoffs 6 times from 1993–2000, fueling a rivalry epitomized by the enmity between Reggie Miller and prominent Knick fan Spike Lee. Miller likened it to the Hatfield–McCoy feud, and The New York Times said in 1998 that it was "as combustible as any in the league".
The rivalry gave Miller the nickname "The Knick-Killer". His clutch performances were frequently followed by jabs at Lee like the choke sign, adding fuel to the rivalry. The rivalry renewed during the 2013 NBA Playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with Indiana winning in 6 games.
The two teams first met in the first round of the 1993 NBA Playoffs. The Knicks, led by Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks, Doc Rivers, and Coach of the Year Pat Riley had amassed a 60–22 record-the best in the East-and earned the top seed in the East. The Pacers, with Miller, Rik Smits, Detlef Schrempf, and Dale Davis barely squeaked into the playoffs with a 41–41 record, thanks to the tiebreaker over the Magic. The Knicks won the first two games at Madison Square Garden before the Pacers won the first of two at Market Square Arena. Game 3 is remembered as being a precursor for the next decade, as trash-talking between Miller and Starks culminated with Starks headbutting Miller in the 3rd quarter, leading to his ejection. The Knicks, however, took Game 4 and advanced to defeat the Hornets before bowing out to the Bulls. (The playoff format had a best-of-5 first round until 2003.) The Pacers fired Bob Hill and hired the nomadic but legendary Larry Brown.
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