In the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks’ dramatic failure sparked a reaction from at least one professional athlete who shared his thoughts on the situation.
PGA Tour golfer John Pack expressed his disappointment over the Knicks’ collapse during the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth. He mentioned that their fourth-quarter breakdown, leading to a 138-135 defeat against the Pacers, motivated him during his play at Colonial.
“As a diehard Knicks fan, that was one of the most painful losses I’ve ever witnessed, and it really lit a fire under me this morning. I was pretty upset about it,” he said.
Despite having a rough night, Pack managed to shoot a stellar 63, placing him high on the leaderboard on Thursday.
“After that loss last night, I didn’t get much sleep. But I plan to recover, do some stretching, and then catch the Thunder game later today,” he mentioned in a statement to CBS Sports.
Meanwhile, the Knicks struggled to hold onto a 14-point lead in the final moments of Game 1, allowing the Pacers to secure a win on their home court. Star player Tyreece Halliburton even shared a laugh at the Knicks’ expense.
As for the Western Conference Finals, Oklahoma City took a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 118-103 victory.
Pack is set to tee off on Friday at 2:40 PM, just hours before Game 2 between the Knicks and Pacers at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks guard Josh Hart reflected candidly on the game, stating, “We didn’t push through to the finish line. We let up defensively, showed weakness, and really weren’t present physically. Offensively, we were sluggish and just didn’t seem to have that drive.”
There’s still hope for the Knicks, though. They can level the series with a win in their next home game before heading to Indiana.
