Playing with the Indianapolis 500 on the same day as the pacemaker ever 0-4
The Indiana Pacers lost 106-100 at home to the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, the same day as the Indianapolis 500.
Pacers lost to the Knicks on the day of the game
The Pacers had a 0-4 record on the same day of the Indy 500. Two of the losses were from the Knicks. Indiana lost three other games in 1999, 2004 and 2013.
Team officials used the term “Vroom Baby” to post gold and blue t-shirts to celebrate the Rare Pacers and Indianapolis 500 pairs. The winner of the competition, Spain’s Alex Palou visited Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the second quarter.
Palou wore a Tyrese Haliburton jersey as he waved to the crowd.
From Indy 500 Winner to the Third Game 👏
Welcome @gainbridgefhAlex Palo. pic.twitter.com/mbktybrjaa
— Indiana Pacers (@pacers) May 26, 2025
#PACERS Alex Palou just recognized #Indy500 Win earlier today. pic.twitter.com/gxjojtkfe6
— James Boyd (@romeovillekid) May 26, 2025
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said the three-time Indiana champion was the first Spaniard to win the game, while calling it a “great game.”
Palou’s victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was his fifth in six games in 2025, giving him a third straight IndyCar title, for the fourth time in five years. The only game Palou hasn’t won this year is the Long Beach Grand Prix, where he ranks second.
Indiana blows up 20-point first-half lead
Although Palou’s appearance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse may have put a Jinx on the Pacers, the team has lost three other three times before Sunday’s Memorial Day weekend.
More importantly, six players on the Pacers’ 2000 Eastern Conference champions, including Hall of Fame member Reggie Miller, also participated in the arena.
Maybe the Knicks were hot at the right time – at least one player did it.
When Jalen Brunson got on the bench for committing his fifth foul in three quarters, Karl-Anthony Towns controlled the game, and he removed another 20 points in New York in 24 points in the fourth quarter.
“When you go down over 20, it’s a real test,” Towns said. “Tonight was that kind of night, he had to have that attitude that never was. They put me in a place of success and I just wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.
“We all just want to do everything we can to win and get ourselves back into the game. We want to put ourselves at the end of the game and we find ourselves having a chance to win.”
Aaron Nesmith returns after rolling his right ankle
Brunson scored 23 points and he scored a layup with a 7-10 record, which ultimately gave New York a 89-88 lead. The Knicks beat Indiana 36-20 in the final frame.
New York was only two times behind throughout the night. The Knicks never led more than four, until the final free throw with 2.6 seconds left.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points and 6 assists, while Myles Turner scored 19 points and 4 rebounds. Pascal Siakam also ended the outing with 17 points and four boards.
Aaron Nesmith helped the Pacers play the first two games in New York twice in the fourth quarter deficit, and he suffered a sprained right ankle in the third quarter.
Nesmith returned in the fourth quarter with only eight points and seven rebounds, but Carlisle said he wouldn’t know more about Nesmith’s chances until Monday.
“Whoever is there, we have to be able to attack better and do something to maintain it and finish the game,” Carlisle said. “We simply don’t have the ability to execute what we need.”
New York is still behind Game 4 in Indianapolis on Tuesday night, 2-1.
