The Knicks–Pacers rivalry is a basketball rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The rivalry started in 1977 and quickly became one of the most bitter in NBA history. They met in the playoffs 6 times from 1993 to 2000, fueling a rivalry epitomized by the enmity between Pacer 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 "Knick Killer". His clutch performances were frequently followed by jabs at Lee like the choke sign, adding fuel to the rivalry. The rivalry was briefly renewed during the 2013 NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, with Indiana winning in 6 games. The rivalry was then renewed once again during the 2024 NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals following the Pacers upsetting the Knicks in game 7, and again in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA playoffs.
The rivalry has been referred to as the "Hicks vs. Knicks", arising from the contrasting fanbases and media portrayals of the two teams, with the Pacers often being associated with a "small town" image and the Knicks representing the "big city" of New York City.
Pre 1990s Since the creation of the Pacers franchise in the ABA in 1967, the Knicks and Pacers have always been indirectly linked together. In the ABA, the Pacers won championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973. Meanwhile, the Knicks won it all in 1970 and 1973, and went to the Finals in 1972. Before each team's 1971 season, the Pacers and Knicks played an exhibition game in September, with the Knicks winning by two at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The game was one of the first ABA vs NBA games ever played.
In the ABA, the Pacers biggest rival was the New York Nets.
The Knicks and Pacers were also at the center of the controversial 1985 draft lottery. The first year the NBA draft lottery was introduced was in 1985. Prior to 1985, the team with the worst record in each conference would participate in a coin flip to determine the first overall pick in the NBA draft. In 1985, the Pacers and Warriors were tied for the worst record in the league, with the Knicks having the third worst record. Some have argued that NBA Commissioner David Stern fixed the first overall pick to help his hometown team, the struggling New York Knicks. The lottery system used in 1985 involved a random drawing of seven envelopes from a hopper, with each of the then-seven non-playoff teams having an equal chance of obtaining the first pick. Inside each of the envelopes was the logo of a non-playoff team. The team whose envelope was drawn first would get the first pick. The process was then repeated until the rest of the first seven lottery picks were determined. In the U.S., CBS had live coverage of Stern pulling the envelopes from the hopper (as opposed to NBA Draft lotteries today where the actual drawing is held behind closed doors before the results are revealed on TV). The "frozen envelope theory" suggests that the National Basketball Association rigged its 1985 draft lottery so that Patrick Ewing would join the New York Knicks. Theorists claim that a lottery envelope was chilled so that it could be identified by touch. The Pacers finished second in the draft lottery and took Wayman Tisdale in the draft.
1993 Eastern Conference first round 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 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 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 (the playoff format had a best-of-5 first round until 2003) to defeat the Hornets before bowing out to the Bulls. The Pacers fired Bob Hill and hired the nomadic but legendary Larry Brown.
1994 Eastern Conference finals The Pacers got their first chance at revenge the following year in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. Brown traded Schrempf for Derrick McKey and added rookie forward Antonio Davis, veteran Byron Scott, and journeyman point guard Haywoode Workman. They finished with a record and the 5th seed in the East, winning their final 8 games. They swept Orlando and upset the top-seeded Hawks in 6.
Meanwhile, the Knicks, following Michael Jordan's first retirement, were heavily favored to win the East. Rivers was lost for the season with a knee injury in December, but New York acquired Derek Harper from Dallas to replace him. Despite winning the Atlantic Division, they lost the top seed in the East to Atlanta; both teams finished 57–25 and split the season series 2–2, but the Hawks won the tiebreaker. The Knicks beat the Nets in 4, then finally beat Chicago in 7 to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where Indiana was waiting.
Both teams won their first two home games. However, in Game 5 at New York, Miller scored 39 points (25 in the fourth) in the Pacers' 93–86 victory. Miller hit several long 3's during the quarter while engaging in an animated discussion with Spike Lee, who was seated courtside. After Indiana took a 3–2 series lead with the victory, the New York Daily News ran a cover story with Lee's picture and the sarcastic headline, "Thanks A Lot, Spike". However, Indiana lost the next two games and the series. Ewing scored the decisive points off a put-back dunk in Game 7 with 26.9 seconds left. It capped one of the center's finest postseason performances of his career, as he finished with 24 points, 22 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 blocks. Miller airballed a last-second 3, and the Knicks closed the series out at the foul line for a 94–90 victory.
1995 Eastern Conference semifinals
By virtue of the previous year's 7-game series between the two teams, the Knicks and Pacers were now rivals, but the Pacers had yet to answer their foe's last two playoff series wins. The Pacers addressed their need for a point guard by acquiring former Knick Mark Jackson from the Los Angeles Clippers. Indiana also stepped up their game. Smits enjoyed his best NBA season, averaged career highs of 17.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, Miller continued to lead the team with 19.6 points per game with a .415 3-point percentage (15th in the league) and a .897 free throw percentage (4th in the league) and was a starter in the 1995 NBA All-Star Game and member of the All-NBA Third Team. Derrick McKey played both the third scorer, and provider of intangibles, placing third on the team in both scoring and rebounding, second in assists, and first in steals, earning a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Winning the first division title and achieving its first 50-win season since joining the NBA from the ABA with a record of , the second-seed Pacers swept the Hawks in the first round.
After the Knicks made the finals the prior year they had players contribute the following season. Anthony Mason, who was eventually named the 1995 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 9.9 points and 8.4 rebounds, while Ewing (top 10 in scoring, rebounding, and blocks), and Starks put up (15.3 ppg). Placing 2nd in the Atlantic Division to the Magic with a record and the third seed, the Knicks beat the Cavs in 4. With the better record, the Knicks had home-court advantage over the Pacers again.
In Game 1 in New York, it was Miller Time again as he amazingly scored 8 points in 8.9 seconds: a 3-pointer, followed by stealing the inbound pass and another 3 to tie the game and 2 free throws, erasing the Knicks' 105–99 lead and stealing the game 107–105. The stunned Knicks settled for a 2-game split with a 96–77 victory, but the Pacers won the next 2 in Indiana 97–95 and 98–84 to take a 3–1 series lead. The Knicks won Game 5 in the Garden 96–95 on Ewing's game-winner with 1.8 seconds left to stay alive and won Game 6 on the road 92–82 to force Game 7. But the Pacers won in New York 97–95, after Ewing missed a potential game-tying layup as time expired. Pat Riley resigned the day after the 1995 NBA Finals ended, and Don Nelson, who had recently stepped down as the Golden State Warriors head coach, became Riley's successor.
1998 Eastern Conference semifinals After a 3-year hiatus, the two teams renewed the rivalry in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Unlike the previous 2 meetings, the Pacers were heavy favorites. The Knicks were without Patrick Ewing, who suffered a severely broken wrist early in the regular season. Ewing returned to the lineup in Game 2 but wasn't 100%. The Knicks managed to make the playoffs as the 7th seed in the East. The Knicks upset the 2nd seeded Heat in 5 in their first-round match-up, while the Pacers disposed of the 6th seeded Cavs 3–1.
Indiana won Games 1 and 2 at Market Square Arena. At home in Game 3, the Knicks won 83–76 behind a strong performance by Ewing, who finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds, and a strong defensive effort. Game 4 was a sharp contrast from the first 3 games, as it was a high scoring affair in the Garden that Indiana won 118–107 in OT behind another great performance by Miller, who hit a 3 with 5.1 seconds left to tie it at 102 and force OT. He finished with 38 points. The Pacers also got good performances from Rik Smits (23 points, 8 rebounds), Mark Jackson (16 points, 15 assists), and Chris Mullin (18 points, 5 steals). Indiana clinched the series with a 99–88 win in Game 5 despite a great performance from Knicks guard Allan Houston.
1999 Eastern Conference finals In the lockout shortened 1998–99 NBA season, the Knicks had a disappointing regular season, despite having a healthy Ewing and the controversial additions of talented guard Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby, who were acquired in trades for crowd favorites Starks and Oakley, respectively. However, New York snuck into the playoffs as the eighth seed with a record. The Pacers finished as the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a record and were considered by many to be the favorites to win the Eastern Conference with the breakup of the Bulls. The 8th-seeded Knicks were able to knock off 1st seeded Miami for the 2nd year in a row after Allan Houston made the game-winning shot in Game 5 that bounced off the front rim, off the backboard, and in with 0.8 seconds left. This was only the second time in NBA history that a #8 seed beat a #1 seed in the first round. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Knicks stunned the Hawks, sweeping them 4–0. Meanwhile, the Pacers were on a roll in the playoffs, sweeping the Bucks and 76ers.