On May 10, 1998, no Madison Square Garden rafters were louder than a packed crowd at the moment the Knicks tried to level the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Indiana Pacers. New York led by three points in the closing seconds, but Reggie Miller, the Pacers\u2019 star, received the ball and unleashed a late 3-point attempt.<\/p>\n
The shot changed the tenor of the night: Miller\u2019s basket sealed a moment of heartbreak for Knicks fans, a scene captured in a photograph that would endure in memory. The game extended to overtime, and the Pacers ultimately won 118-107, eliminating New York from the series three games to two.<\/p>\n
Three witnesses offer different recollections from the sideline: Spike Lee, a renowned Knicks supporter, recounted the moment as a turning point that derailed the team\u2019s bid for victory and a championship. Kevin Tynan, a Long Island native who attended games with his father, recalled the pressure of the Garden and the expectation placed on the home team.<\/p>\n
Paul Bereswill, a Newsday photographer, described staying close to Miller\u2019s movements to document the moment, including a notable confrontation Miller had with Spike Lee in earlier years. The reflections underscore the high emotions surrounding the Knicks during the 1990s, a period of repeated deep playoff runs without clinching the title.<\/p>\n
In the immediate aftermath, the arena\u2019s energy shifted as the shot went in, and the Knicks faced an overtime loss despite a promising start. The series outcome followed: three days later, Indiana secured Game 5 and advanced, leaving New York to reflect on what had been close but not enough.<\/p>\n
The recollections paint a broader image of a team that consistently contended in the postseason, yet never captured the championship in that era. Fans and participants alike describe a culture of loyalty and memory, where the Garden\u2019s nights could swing from hope to heartbreak in moments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"