Ben Stiller and 50 Cent sit courtside as Knicks secure dramatic Game 1 win over the Pacers after controversial call against Myles Turner

Two controversial calls in the final seconds of Game 1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers gave the home-team Knicks a victory.

Jalen Brunson continued his postseason magic with 43 points for his fourth straight 40-point effort as the Knicks recorded a 121-117 victory in front of a raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden that included Ben Stiller and 50 Cent among other celebrities.

But a late kick-ball violation on Aaron Nesmith and a later moving screen on Myles Turner doomed Indiana in a close-fought game that went down to the wire.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half and Josh Hart added 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for New York. Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and OG Anunoby added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks.

Myles Turner scored 23 points, Pascal Siakam added 19 and T.J. McConnell had 18 points for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin chipped in 12 points apiece and Andrew Nembhard scored 11 points.

Brunson dropped 43 points for his fourth straight playoff game scoring 40 points or more

Celebrities attending – Top: Ben Stiller (L), 50 Cent (R) / Bottom: Rainn Wilson (L), Spike Lee (R)

Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.

Brunson became the fourth player in NBA playoff history to score 40 or more points in four consecutive games. Jerry West reached that mark a record six straight times in 1965. Bernard King (1984) and Michael Jordan (1993) did it in four straight contests.

With the game tied at 115-115, officials called a kicked ball violation on Nesmith that on replay clearly hit the Pacers’ forward’s hand, not his foot. Officials after the game admitted that they made a mistake. 

DiVincenzo drained a 3-pointer to give the Knicks a 118-115 lead with 40.4 seconds remaining.

Indiana pulled within one on Siakam’s driving layup with 26.6 seconds to go.

The Pacers later had a chance to take the lead, but Turner was called for a moving screen with 12.7 seconds left. The Indiana center was bewildered by the decision.

Indiana made another mistake when Nembhard fouled Brunson before the ball was inbounded. Brunson made the ensuing free throw, and New York kept possession.

Brunson was fouled with 10.7 seconds to play and made two free throws to give New York a 121-117 advantage, and the Knicks closed it out.

A controversial call at the end involved a foul for a moving pick called on Myles Turner (33)

After the game ended, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle addressed the call of the illegal screen on Turner.

‘I don’t want to talk about the officiating. We’re not expecting to get calls in here. It would be nice if they laid off that one, but they didn’t. 

‘That’s just the way it goes. We challenged it. They reviewed it. They’ve got a bunch of people in New Jersey that agreed with them, so that’s just the way it goes.’

Turner addressed both calls when speaking to the media: ‘I think it’s best when the players decide the outcome of the game.” 

‘I think we’re all looking forward to the Last 2 Minute Report coming out. I think there were 2 controversial calls. The kick ball by Aaron Nesmith was not a kick ball. You clearly see on replay.’

Social media reaction to the Turner foul favored the Pacers, despite the fact that officials reviewed the call and then stuck with it.

Social media reaction to that foul call favored the case of Turner and the Pacers

‘Yikes that whistle on Myles Turner. Horrible. Let them play refs,’ wrote Fox Sports’ Jason McIntyre.

‘[Golden State] built a dynasty pass blocking but Myles Turner not standing still for 5 seconds before the screen in the biggest moment of the game and it’s an instant call,’ joked NBA TikTok influencer JokicJoestar.

Kevin Wildes of Fox Sports also chimed in, saying, ‘I’m pulling for the Knicks but that is a horrible call on Myles Turner. 

‘Myles Turner was moving but that is an insane INSTANT WHISTLE in that situation,’ wrote former Barstool Sports VP Steven Cheah.