Knicks Storm Back With 106-100 Win to Tighten Eastern Conference Finals

Karl-Anthony Towns produced a 20 point fourth quarter (24 points, 13 rebounds in all) on Sunday night to lead the New York Knicks to a 106-100 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers now lead the series 2-1.

The Knicks, who trailed 55-35 with 3:20 remaining in the first half (the Pacers also took their largest lead of the series in the first half at 46-35) did their damage mostly with Jalen Brunson on the bench with five fouls. 

Brunson had an off shooting night, just 6-for-18 from the field, but did make 10-of-10 free-throws to get his 23 points. Collectively, the Knicks shot 43.6% from the field, 11-of-32 from downtown, and made 27 of their 30 free-throw attempts. The Pacers shot 44.2% and made 27 of their 33 free-throw attempts, but missed 20 of their 25 attempts from deep. 

Too often in the second half and especially in the fourth, the Pacers worked too late in the clock and displayed a stagnant offense. They also overpassed, on two specific occasions where Andrew Nembhard drove and faked a pass to the corner before passing to that same corner, putting Tyrese Haliburton, the recipient of the pass, in a difficult spot. Haliburton also had a play late where he drove and, with an opening to shoot, shifted and dribbled out to the corner. 

The Knicks, meanwhile, had better flow to their offense in the fourth quarter and an aggressive and clicking Towns made the difference. 

When it appeared that the Pacers would pull away as they led 74-59 after a Haliburton alley-oop to Obi Toppin again led by 15 after a T.J. McConnell jump shot that made the score 78-63, the Knicks, remaining poised, fought back. 

Mitchell Robinson, who scored 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 29 minutes starting in place of Josh Hart (10 rebounds, 7 defensive), blocked a McConnell shot, leading to a triple from Miles McBride that made the deficit eight, 78-70, with 53.7 seconds remaining in the third. Bennedict Mathurin ended the Knicks’ 7-0 run with an inside pass to Myles Turner (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6-for-12) and the Pacers led 80-70 going into the fourth quarter. Thus far in the postseason, they were 6-0 when leading after the third quarter. 

Towns decided himself to put an end to that streak. 

The star big man, who shot 8-for-17 from the field and 3-for-7 from downtown, got started in the fourth with a three to cut the deficit to seven, and then found a cutting Delon Wright to make the score 82-77 with 10:22 remaining. Wright’s conversion led to a Pacer timeout as the Knicks were on a 14-4 run. Towns scored inside on a layup at the 10-minute mark, and after Pascal Siakam hit a baseline jumper, Towns was fouled inside and made both free-throws. 84-81. After Andrew Nembhard made one-of-two free-throws, Towns drilled a three to make the score 85-84. He then finished a ferocious dunk down the middle of the lane with 8:02 remaining and the Knicks took an 86-85 lead. 

After a Haliburton triple made the score 88-87, Brunson scored inside to put the Knicks up one, 89-88. Aaron Nesmith at the 7:03 mark checked into the game after exiting earlier after turning his ankle. 

Siakam scored on the baseline. 90-89 Pacers. With 5:09 remaining, Towns connected from long range, giving the Knicks a 94-90 lead. 

After a Siakam bank shot got the Pacers within two, 94-92, the Knicks forced the Pacers into a shot block violation on Indiana’s next offensive possession. With 3:10 remaining, Haliburton converted a jump shot. 96-94 Knicks. McBride, aggressive in the fourth quarter with Brunson on the bench with five fouls, attacked Siakam, drew a foul, and made both free-throws, giving the Knicks a 98-94 lead. 

With 2:42 on the clock, Towns picked up his fifth foul, and Turner made both from the line. 98-96 Knicks. 

Siakam was fouled with 1:37 remaining, and made both of his free-throws. Then Brunson woke up after a relatively quiet fourth. 

Brunson drove and finished a floater with his left hand with 1:17 remaining, putting the Knicks up 100-98 for his 20th and 21st points. 

Though Brunson missed on his next attempt, Turner misfired on a 3-point attempt, and Hart flew in for the rebound. Fouled, Hart went to the line and made both of his attempts with 19.1 on the clock. 

On the Pacers’ last possession, Haliburton was fouled by Bridges and made both of his free-throws. Brunson was then fouled and knocked down both of his offers from the stripe, and the Knicks led by four, 104-100, with 8.1 seconds remaining, Brunson’s free-throws in effect ending the Knicks’ chances and completing a crucial comeback. 

Both Towns and Brunson were complemented by OG Anunoby’s 16 points (6-for-9 from the field, 4-for-6 from deep) in addition to Mikal Bridges 15, though he matched Brunson in attempts and makes. McBride was major off the bench with 9 points in 15 minutes. 

Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals, but the star guard did not look as aggressive as he had in the first two games. Siakam added 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in addition to Turner’s 19-4-2. 

The Pacers outrebounded the Knicks by the slimmest of margins, 38-37, and committed two less turnovers (12 to 14), but the difference was that a Knick star stepped up and a Pacer one did not. 

Per NBA Communications, the Knicks are the first team in the play-by-play era to come back three times from 20-point deficits in a single playoffs. 

Staring down an 0-3 hole in the first half when they were down 20, the Knicks remained calm and composed and worked their way back into the game. 

We now have a series.