ESPN Had A Big Knicks Love Fest In The Semifinals, And The Pacers Kept Receipts

The Indiana Pacers knocked off the New York Knicks, 130-109, in Game 7 at Madison Square Arena on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers controlled the game from the start, instantly quieting the Knicks' home crowd and leaving many viewers in shock. But no one was more shocked than the folks at ESPN.

Prior to the beginning of the series, ESPN ran a prediction piece where all 16 people asked predicted New York would win. Only three of the "experts" even thought Indiana could push it to seven games.

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So after Sunday's blowout victory, the Pacers social media team showed the receipts. The team account shared a screenshot of those predictions with the caption, "It was always Pacers in 7."

The social media victory lap was just the icing on the cake for a fan base that had to listen to a constant Knicks love fest from The Worldwide Leader throughout the semifinals.

Even just before Game 7, ESPN spent the entire pregame show focusing on Stephen A. Smith — an avid Knicks fan — and showed him openly rooting for New York to win. Of course, Smith is more entertainer than analyst, and there's nothing wrong with acknowledging his fanhood. But making him the centerpiece of your coverage in a pivotal, winner-take-all Game 7 is weird.

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Even as the Pacers were crushing the Knicks in the fourth quarter, there was no credit given to Indiana. Instead, in-game announcers Doris Burke and J.J. Reddick gave a long and heartfelt soliloquy about the "magical season" New York had. It was like listening to a eulogist trying to hold back tears at a funeral.

But perhaps nothing was more egregious than Stephen A.'s animated pregame pep talk to fire up New Yorkers for a win — complete with a cameo from Spike Lee.

Not surprisingly, we did not get to hear from Smith after the game.

If ESPN is trying to nix the narrative about an "East Coast bias" and how large market teams get preferential treatment over smaller market teams, they aren't doing a good job of it.

And with Indiana moving on to face the mighty Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, you can guarantee the Pacers will, once again, be treated like the ugly duckling from the cornfields.

Better get those screenshots ready, Indiana …just in case.