About an hour before tipoff, Grails Miami was already buzzing on Tuesday night.
The sports bar, located in the heart of Wynwood, was packed with basketball fans wearing New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers gear. They were ready for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Inside, dozens of TV screens played pregame coverage, while outside on the patio, a huge flat screen showed the game as fans lounged with drinks, all eyes locked in.
Stakes were high for Knicks fans, who were fueled not just by drinks, but also by dreams of a long-awaited finals appearance.
Among those in the crowd was Julius Braun, a 26-year-old New York native who had landed in Miami earlier that day. “I’ve been a New York Knicks fan forever, born and raised in New York,” he said proudly. “The community in New York is so close—you can go to any corner store at any time of the day and find someone talking about the Knicks.”
In the opening quarter, Indiana jumped ahead 43–35. The Knicks kept it close by matching the Pacers’ energy on both ends of the floor. Both teams showcased strong offensive execution and solid defensive efforts, making it a competitive and fast-paced start to the game.
At halftime, with the Knicks trailing the Pacers 69–64, Braun remained confident: “We’re gonna win this game for sure. If the Knicks make a finals appearance, the whole city is going to go crazy. There will be riots. New York City is one of the craziest cities in the whole USA. My favorite player on the Knicks is Jalen Brunson—he’s a dog.”
Also watching from the packed crowd at Grails was Luke Marom, a 23-year-old Knicks fan from New Jersey who now lives in Manhattan. On vacation in Miami until Saturday, Maram said being away from New York didn’t dull his excitement.
“I love New York. I take the bus, the Citi Bike, I take it all,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been a Knicks fan my whole life. The last time the Knicks were good was when Carmelo [Anthony] was playing, up until now since they have Brunson, [OG] Anunoby. A New York championship would be crazy—that’s a basketball city life. This year and last year have been the only two years where I’ve gotten a good feeling. I think if the Knicks win today, they have a pretty good chance of winning the series.”
Still, as the second half unfolded, the Knicks struggled to keep pace with a relentless Pacers roster that refused to let up.
The Indiana Pacers came into their home court Tuesday night and delivered a statement win, taking Game 4 with a final score of 130–121. Up until the final buzzer, the Pacers held control and reignited the long-standing rivalry with the Knicks that dates back to the 1990s.
Leading the charge for Indiana was point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who made NBA history by recording 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and zero turnovers—the first player ever to post a triple double with at least 30 points and no turnovers in a playoff game. He stood out with strategic passing, clutch shooting, and calm under pressure, leading a Pacers offense that stayed aggressive all night.
Power forward Pascal Siakam also had a big impact, scoring 30 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and blocking a shot, as he repeatedly found ways to break through the Knicks’ defense.
For the Knicks, point guard Jalen Brunson continued his stellar postseason run, finishing with 31 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block. Despite being the focal point of Indiana’s defensive strategies, Brunson found ways to impact the game. Supporting him was center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds, and small forward Anunoby, who added 22 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. But the effort from New York’s core wasn’t enough to stop the balanced attack of the Pacers.
Shooting guard Josh Hart, who has emerged as the emotional backbone of the Knicks throughout the playoffs, tallied a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“Josh Hart is the heart of the team,” said 27-year-old Jayden Ortiz, another New York raised Knicks fan watching at Grails. “We’re die-hard New York fans. No matter what happens, we’re rocking with our team.”
The final score was 130–121 with the Pacers now up 3-1. New York now faces a grim reality—only 13 teams in NBA playoff history have come back from a 3–1 deficit. For Knicks fans who’ve stuck with the team through thick and thin, this loss felt like more than just another game—it was a tough blow in a season that once looked full of hope.
Despite the loss, the passion of the fanbase remains unwavering. From the streets of New York to the bar stools in Miami, Knicks fans carry the pride—and the pain—of a team trying to reclaim its glory in a postseason that has revived memories of rivalry battles that defined 90s basketball.
Now 3–1, the series heads back to Madison Square Garden for a pivotal Game 5. With so much energy and history behind every play, one thing’s for sure: the Knicks-Pacers rivalry is still going strong.
