Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to a 111-94 victory over the Pacers, keeping their season alive. Brunson scored 32 points and dished out five assists. Karl Anthony Towns added 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
The team delivered a strong defensive performance in a critical must-win situation for the Knicks. After allowing the Pacers to score 45 points in the first quarter of Game Four, the Knicks managed to limit the Pacers to just 45 points in the first half of tonight’s game.
Tyrese Haliburton was held to eight points, while Miles Turner only scored five. The Pacers didn’t play like they were in a close-out game. Their offense suffered, and their defense wasn’t great either. The Pacers allowed the Knicks to shoot close to 50% and also outrebounded them.
Knicks in Seven
The fans at Madison Square Garden chanted, “Knicks in seven,” suggesting that New York will win Game 6 on Saturday in Indiana and then return to Madison Square Garden to close out the series on Monday. For the Knicks to achieve this, they must win three straight games against the Pacers. Throughout NBA history, only thirteen teams have managed to recover from a 3-1 deficit.
The New York Knicks have not appeared in an NBA Championship game since 1999, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs 4-1. The Indiana Pacers reached the Finals the following year in 2000 but were defeated 4-2 by Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’neal, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The winner of the Knicks and Pacers series will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.