The Philadelphia 76ers may just be a part of the audience — of the remote variant — at this juncture, but the universe somehow still finds new ways to inflict pain on them, especially to the prejudice of fans.
The 2025 NBA Playoffs have been nothing short of crazy, touting some mind-boggling finishes both game and series-wise. Arguably topping that list is the sheer volume of comebacks pulled off by the serendipitous Indiana Pacers, which made the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year in a row.
And just like kismet would have it, the Pacers found a new victim — or victims — in New York, and spiritually, Philly.
Tyrese Haliburton‘s crazy shot catapults 76ers fans back to a painful memory
Down 14 in the fourth quarter against the Knicks in the rowdy at the Garden, Indiana managed to find a way to make it a two-point game with seven seconds remaining. With the ball in his hands, Haliburton sprinted past half-court, found himself with an open lane before getting cut off, swirled back past the three-point line and hoisted a Hail Mary, which bounced off the rim.
And bounced back right in.
Sounds familiar, 76ers fans?
While the shot did not vault the Pacers to an immediate dub, as Haliburton was soon found out to have one foot on the line, it sent the game into overtime, where Indiana slowly put the pressure on the hosts before coming up with a huge dub to take homecourt.
The shot may have been under vividly different situations, but it is reminiscent of that shot which remains eerie for 76ers fans. It is so entrenched in NBA history that it completely altered the fate of a slew of teams, most prominently Philly.
We need not even make any mention of the specifics of that sequence. But now, at least 76ers fans can see their frustration projected on the Knicks fanbase, even if only to a small degree given that they still have a chance at winning the series.
It is simply funny at this point in time that the basketball gods remain committed to inventing new and novel ways to take a dig at the Philadelphia 76ers, even if inadvertently. But moving forward, if they do find it proper to give the team some company in that respect, then so be it.
After all, as the timeless adage says, misery loves company.