Knicks Dominate Pacers, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Jalen Brunson ignited the crowd with a fiery performance, leading the New York Knicks to a decisive 111-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. The chants of "Knicks in 7! Knicks in 7!" echoed through Madison Square Garden as fans celebrated a pivotal win.

With this victory, the Knicks have not only kept their playoff hopes alive but also demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity. Brunson's 32 points and Karl-Anthony Towns' impressive 24 points and 13 rebounds, despite battling a bruised left knee, were instrumental in this triumph.

This marked New York's first home win of the series, thwarting Indiana's attempt to secure their second trip to the NBA Finals. The Pacers will have another chance to clinch the series on Saturday night at their home court.

"It's a testament to our team answering the call," Towns remarked, reflecting on the team's determination.

New York's victory extends their journey in the conference finals for the first time since 2000, as they aim to become the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit. Historically, no team has won a conference finals series after losing the first two games at home.

In a stark contrast to their previous game, where they allowed 43 points in the first quarter, the Knicks tightened their defense, limiting the Pacers to just 45 points in the first half. Tyrese Haliburton, who had a stellar performance with 32 points, 15 assists, and 12 rebounds in Game 4, was held to only eight points and six assists.

Brunson rebounded from a lackluster performance in Game 4, achieving his franchise-record 21st postseason game with over 30 points. "Our backs were against the wall. So, I mean, we've got to give it everything we got," he stated, emphasizing the urgency of the moment.

Benedict Mathurin contributed 23 points off the bench for the Pacers, who had previously enjoyed a six-game road winning streak. However, Indiana struggled offensively, shooting just 40.5% from the field—its lowest scoring output of the postseason.

"We obviously didn't play with the level of force that we needed to," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged. "We lost the rebound battle. We lost the turnover battle. We didn't shoot well. They had a lot to do with it. So, give them a lot of credit and we're going to have to play better."

Brunson set the tone early, scoring 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting in the first quarter, giving New York a narrow 27-23 lead—20 points fewer than they allowed in Game 4's opening quarter. Towns stepped up during Brunson's scoreless second quarter, contributing 12 points.

Brunson returned with vigor in the third quarter, scoring the Knicks' first eight points and helping them establish a commanding 20-point lead midway through. Although the Pacers managed to cut that lead in half, New York responded with a decisive 12-0 run, capped by Brunson's four-point play that pushed the score to 86-64.