Celtics fans just got terrifying flashbacks after Knicks Game 3 win over Pacers

Sunday's Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 brought back (recent) memories for Boston Celtics fans. Bad ones, that is. Watching the New York Knicks escape from the jaws of death by erasing yet another 20-point deficit would send a shiver down any Celtics fan's spine.

New York's comeback win to beat the Indiana Pacers gave them their first win ever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (1-9 all-time). It was a longer, more drawn-out version of what they did to Boston last round -- twice.

Knicks' Game 3 win over Indiana was eerily reminiscent of Games 1 and 2 vs. Celtics

Indiana led 55-35 with 3:20 to play in the first half, and then things got worse. The Knicks thrived in the same areas as they had during the comeback wins over the Celtics last round.

The groundwork for their season-saving comeback was laid at the end of quarters. New York outscored the Pacers by seven to close the half, after going down 20 points. Something similar happened in the third quarter, too. Indy had stretched the gap to 15 points with 3:11 remaining in the frame, only to have that margin cut to 10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Seven straight points from Miles McBride in that span transported me back to the ninth floor of TD Garden, where I watched the Celtics drop Game 2 to the Knicks.

That, much like Sunday's game, was one decided at the end of quarters. Boston was horrible during those stretches, and New York was great. The Knicks wound up outscoring the Celtics by 14 points and forcing them to turn the ball over seven times across the final three minutes of each frame.

Regardless, the most memorable lapse came in the fourth quarter, when the Celtics were outscored by 13 points. The Pacers somehow outdid them, managing to be beaten by 16 in the same span of their Game 3 defeat. Both teams not only struggled in the final 12 minutes, but across the entire second half of their respective letdowns.

Boston scored just 40 points in the second half of Game 2, while Indy scored 42 in the second half of Game 3. The feeling was so similar in each contest. Both fan bases looked on, feeling confident in their beloved home squad, only to be left sitting and shaking their heads after the unthinkable unfolded right in front of them.

Since the Celtics have been eliminated, I've found solace in the sport of "hate-watching." It had been a wonderful experience through Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Watching the Pacers shock the Knicks fans, who'd thrown a championship-type parade outside of Madison Square Garden after eliminating Boston, was fulfilling -- euphoric even.

Seeing Game 3 unfold wasn't quite as debilitating as it'd been when Boston was the team relinquishing the big lead. That's the beauty of hate watching. There's all the joy of seeing the team you're rooting against lose, but none of the heartbreak of seeing it happen to your own.

At least the series will be a little longer, I guess.