Cheers could be heard in the Senate Wednesday night during the thrilling first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers came out on top, beating the Knickerbockers in overtime 138-135 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The matchup was closely watched by many basketball fans, including those in the upper chamber, as the Senate held a series of procedural votes Wednesday night to circumvent the parliamentarian’s ruling.
The Senate eventually passed a measure to axe California’s electric vehicle mandate Thursday morning in a 51-44 vote, sending it to President Trump’s desk for signing.
On Wednesday night, cheers erupted as the senators watched the contentious NBA playoff game and at one point, the Senate clerk said “Indiana must have won.”
Indiana Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) was one of the lawmakers following the game, supporting his home-state team to a victory Wednesday night.
The Indiana Pacers were trailing in the fourth quarter. They rallied back with the help of Aaron Nesmith, who connected on six threes in the final quarter. Nesmith, who finished the game with 30 points, became the first NBA player to hit six three-pointers in the fourth quarter during a playoff game.
Still, the Pacers were down two points with just over seven seconds left in the game. Indiana’s star guard Tyrese Haliburton dribbled down the court, first stepping into the paint and then dribbling out for a last-second shot. The ball hit the back of the rim and fell in clean as the buzzer sounded.
The referees reviewed the shot, finding that Haliburton’s toe was on the three-point line, therefore he tied the game in the Garden and sent it to overtime.
Indiana secured the win on the road in overtime, led by Haliburton, who finished with a double-double: 31 points and 11 assists.
“It felt like it got stuck up there. And honestly, like, when it went in, I was like my eyes might have been deceiving me in the moment. But it felt good — it felt good when it left my hand,” Haliburton said after the game.
The teams are set to face off for game 2 on Friday night.
