Knicks Dominate Pacers to Force Game 6 in Eastern Conference Finals

The New York Knicks kept their hopes alive in the Eastern Conference finals with a commanding 111-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers. With the 1994 Conference Championship series weariness evident in both competitors, it was at Madison Square Garden that the New York Knicks revealed their rough-hewn inner steel.

Jalen Brunson led New York’s charge with a dazzling 32 points. This performance was his 21st postseason game scoring 30 points or more, a franchise record. His performance couldn’t have come at a better time, as he scored 14 points in the first quarter as all of his teammates struggled. That early flurry was crucial in giving the Knicks a 27-23 lead, one they’d never relinquish as they jumped ahead early and never looked back.

Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the game end to end. He scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while nursing a bruised left knee. His efforts were a perfect compliment to Brunson’s scoring and allowed the Knicks to control the game wire-to-wire.

The Indiana Pacers had been a massive offensive disaster. They struggled all night shooting just 40.5% from the floor and matching their lowest-scoring game of the entire postseason. Tyrese Haliburton on his way to his last triple-double, 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds. This game was his worst of the series and he faltered with just eight points and six assists. This was a huge turnaround for Haliburton. As many had anticipated, he would be a central figure to the series after being a vital cog in their postseason run the year prior.

The Knicks’ defensive plan really did destroy all hope. They restricted their opponents to 20 points less in the first quarter compared to their performance in Game 4. This change helped them take charge and set the tone for all three acts of the game.

With this victory, the Knicks have not only stayed alive in the series but highlighted a crucial statistic: historically, no team has won a conference finals series after dropping the first two games at home. This victory gives the New York freedom of confidence going into Game 6.