Choking defines Knicks’ ugly legacy against Pacers — unless they prove otherwise

Thirty years and two weeks later, the Pacers did it to the Knicks again. Thirty years and two weeks later, the Knicks did it to themselves again. Thirty years and two weeks after Reggie Miller plunged a dagger into the heart of the Patrick Ewing Knicks, Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton teamed up to do it again. 

All with Reggie watching courtside. Perfect. 

Choke? Yes. The Knicks choked this one away. The final was 138-135 in overtime, though the numbers seemed incidental after Nesmith kept battering the Knicks’ chin with 3-point daggers and Haliburton finished them off with that rainbow jumper at the regulation buzzer that bounced off the back rim, seemed to tickle the bottom of Mike Richter’s No. 35 jersey at the top of the Garden, and settled in. 

Choke? Yes. Gag? You bet. George Steinbrenner, horseman, would’ve had the perfect terminology for what the Knicks did last night: They spit the bit.