Larry Johnson’s iconic four-point play that crushed Pacers: ‘The worst I ever shot in my life’

As the New York Knicks prepare for their first Eastern Conference Final in 25 years, fans will be thinking back to previous teams that made it this far.

In the 1999 Eastern Conference Final the Knicks took on the Indiana Pacers - also this year’s opponents - and produced a memorable moment for Larry Johnson. The Texas-born power forward joined the Knicks in 1996 and enjoyed some big moments with the team, none more important that his iconic ‘four-point play’ against the Pacers.

With just 11.9 seconds remaining in Game 3 the Knicks were three points down and Johnson had the ball just outside the three-point line. He began to dribble but then leaned into Pacers’ defender Antonio Davis as he launched an ambitious three-point attempt.

Not only did the three land, but a foul was called on Davis for the contact. Johnson stepped up to make the free throw and gave his team a dramatic 92-91 win at the death.

Reflecting on that famous incident now, Johnson revealed how the four-point play came about: “I wasn’t the best pick-setter on the team, to be honest with you. My picks were kinda weak.”

“So I was supposed to set two picks and pop back to the ball. Well, by me setting not-so-good picks, once I popped back to the ball, I was the one that was open.”

He continued: “So when I popped to the ball, I knew I was gonna get it, and I knew I was gonna make it."

"Now the free throw was a blessing because that was the worst free throw I ever shot in my life as far as form, I just kinda chunked that ball up there. I don’t know how it went in."

Despite that legendary play from Johnson the Knicks would go on to lose to the Pacers in six games. After that season they lost Patrick Ewing to the Seattle SuperSonics and that glamorous, albeit trophy-less, era came to an end. But the memories of that night have not left Johnson, who continued to watch it long into his retirement.

“When I retired, I probably would watch it at least two or three times a week the first five, six years because it was fresh in my memory back then. And it was being shown a lot back then.”

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