NBA: Knicks' Impressive Comeback secures series Lead 3-2
NEW YORK — In the face of a devastating loss on Mother's Day, where the New York Knicks were defeated by a staggering 32 points against the Indiana Pacers, the team's resilience shone through. Just when it seemed like the Knicks were down and out, they staged a remarkable turnaround last night, securing a resounding victory against the Pacers with a score of 121-91. This was a stark contrast to their performance on Sunday, a testament to their unwavering spirit. The Knicks are one step closer to the Eastern Conference finals, which would mark their first appearance since 2000. After 24 years, they are on the brink of achieving this milestone. The question now is whether they can secure a win on the road in Indiana or face a repeat of Sunday's defeat.
In a performance that will go down in Knicks' history, star player Jalen Brunson led his team to victory with an astounding 44 points. Brunson's brilliance on the court is a source of pride for the team and their fans. This was his fifth time scoring 40 points in this postseason, a record-breaking achievement. His 44 points also marked the highest score by a Knicks player in a postseason half since 1998.
Photo Credit: AP News
"I think as a team, no matter what the situation is, we have the same mindset," Brunson said. "And regardless of how I'm feeling or someone else is feeling, we know what's at stake, we know what we have to do and we're going to figure it out."
Brunson started hot quickly, scoring consecutive baskets for a 13-point lead early in the second quarter and then making the first basket in a 9-0 run that made it 65-47 with 2:11 remaining. A 17-0 run in the third turned an eight-point lead into an 89-64 bulge. The pressure was on, but the Pacers couldn't persevere through the Knick's relentless performance at the Garden.
Key Takeaways
What did the Knicks do differently in this game? Everything. Aside from Brunson’s standout performance in comparison to Sunday’s, the Knicks were securing rebounding in an elite fashion. Isaiah Hartenstein retrieved 12 on the offensive end, helping the Knicks dominate the Pacers 53-29 on the glass. And 20 offensive rebounds led to 26 second-chance points.
"We got annihilated on loose balls, rebounds. Gave up 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots. So, we all own it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "But very embarrassing. Very embarrassing and a hard lesson."
At postgame, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton couldn't agree more with his coach's statement.
"They killed us on the glass better than they probably have in any game all series," Tyrese Haliburton said. "We just didn't match the intensity level all night."
Despite Indiana's strong start, the Knicks surged ahead with an 11-0 run en route to a 38-32 lead after one. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle used three timeouts in the quarter, and the Madison Square crowd grew louder after each one. Haliburton finished with 13 points in 34 minutes as he struggled to connect to the rim after averaging 29.7 over the last three games. Pascal Siakam scored 22 points, and Myles Turner added 16 to the heated match. In fact, it got so heated three technical fouls were handed out.
Isaiah Jackson was charged with a foul for setting a hard screen that knocked Donte DiVincenzo to the court in the first half. Hartenstein confronted Jackson, getting chest-to-chest with him, and Burks also joined in, appearing to bring his hand up and make contact with Jackson. All three players were called for technical fouls causing the heated match to send the crowd roaring.
