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**INDIANAPOLIS** – Given the abundance of fast athletes in the vicinity on Sunday, it seemed almost paradoxical for the Indiana Pacers to have shifted into a lower gear, faltered, and ultimately conked out just shy of their desired finish line against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
As the most offensively explosive team among the final four in the conference finals, the Pacers experienced a postseason low in their 106-100 loss to the Knicks in Game 3. A squad that had averaged 118.9 points per 100 possessions in their initial 13 playoff matches fell drastically short of that benchmark.
The current state of affairs can be summarized easily:
When the Pacers score 114 points or more against teams like the Bucks, Cavaliers, or Knicks, they are undefeated at 10-0. Conversely, if they fail to reach that mark, their record is 0-3.
With Indy 500 champion Alex Palou in attendance, the Pacers’ performance echoed elements of the Brickyard. They missed 20 of their 25 attempts from beyond the arc, marking a trifecta of disappointments: the fewest makes, fewest attempts, and poorest shooting percentage recorded in their three playoff series to date. Prior to Sunday, they had averaged 14 successful three-pointers.
However, credit must go to New York, as the Knicks turned the tables rather than placing undue blame on Indiana. Facing elimination after losing the first two games at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks needed this win to stave off an intense scrutiny that would have called for significant changes if their season continued to falter.
At one point, they found themselves trailing by 20 in the second quarter, with scoring leader Jalen Brunson struggling with foul issues while key player Karl-Anthony Towns was largely ineffective in the early stages.
Yet, here they are, buoyed by their enthusiastic supporters who managed to secure tickets in the Pacers’ arena, not entirely out of the fight, now trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Here are five insights stemming from New York’s impressive comeback as they prepare for Game 4 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
What the Pacers accomplished in Game 1, rallying from what seemed like certain defeat to force overtime and win, was so inspiring it appeared to have an emotional carryover into their Game 2 triumph.
It will be fascinating to observe how this series unfolds now that New York has struck back. Remember, the Knicks fought back from 20-point deficits in Boston during the opening two games of their semifinal series. They now hold the distinction of being the only franchise in NBA history to orchestrate three such comebacks within a single playoff season.
While they would prefer not to find themselves in such a situation again, their confidence would undoubtedly remain intact.
“This playoff journey has been unpredictable,” Brunson remarked. He noted that the pivotal moment on Sunday came during halftime when the Knicks assured one another they wouldn’t buckle under the pressure of a challenging scoreline.
“It’s easy to turn against one another,” Brunson acknowledged. “But we communicated as a team. It’s an emotional game. It’s just a game, though.”
The Knicks managed to cut the lead down by seven points following a 10-3 surge right before halftime. They chipped away with a mere three more points in the third quarter, but surged ahead in the fourth with a 17-5 run in the initial minutes.
“I know you guys roll your eyes when we say no lead is safe,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated. “But truly, no lead is secure. If you ease off even slightly, that’s the outcome you can expect.”
While he didn’t utilize all nine of his lives, the player known as KAT certainly made use of one during the fourth quarter. Up to that point, he had only scored four points, including a scoreless first quarter. Hitting 2-of-8 shots, the Knicks seemed headed toward a daunting 3-0 deficit with elimination looming.
Imagine the media storm had that prevailing scenario materialized.
Towns ensured it didn’t happen, taking command of the matchup. He tallied 20 points in the fourth quarter, equal to Indiana’s entire score during that period. He attempted nine shots, sinking six of them, including three of four three-point attempts and one of six free throws. He also grabbed eight rebounds, making himself almost impossible to defend, especially against the likes of Myles Turner and Tony Bradley, the options available to Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.
While Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges had handled much of the scoring for the Knicks prior to Towns’ breakout, they couldn’t stand in his way.
“Our team ethos is based on unselfishness,” remarked Thibodeau. “When someone is in a rhythm, the goal is to keep them involved. It’s all about recognizing what works.”
Knicks fans share some common traits with those who followed Thibodeau’s previous teams in Chicago and Minnesota. They often express worry over the heavy minutes he assigns to key players, particularly starters.
While most coaches tighten their rotations in the playoffs, Thibodeau typically doesn’t relent. Across the first 101 minutes of the series, he utilized eight players, only bringing Delon Wright on for a brief 26 seconds in the first game.
Check out the box score from Sunday. Thibodeau evaded criticism by going nine players deep. Wright rejoined the rotation for over 13 minutes, and Thibodeau even dug deep to give veteran guard Landry Shamet more than 11 minutes of playing time.
Despite Brunson’s foul concerns, it was unusual to see New York functioning for extended stretches without him, as he had averaged nearly 39 minutes in the initial 14 playoff matches. This game saw him barely reach 30 minutes.
Brunson is vital to the Knicks’ offense, although his defensive impact isn’t at the same level. New York was a minus-6 when their All-Star point guard was active but showed a plus-12 advantage during the 17:29 he rested.
Without naming names, Carlisle pointed to a notable difference in the Knicks’ defensive capabilities. “They had many of their best defenders on the floor in the second half, making it tougher for us,” he observed.
Wright registered a plus-2 rating, while Shamet recorded a plus-12, the highest among Knicks players. Notably, he had only accumulated 30 minutes across the playoffs up to that point.
Additionally, rim protector Mitchell Robinson began Game 3 in place of Josh Hart, a choice that proved fruitful early on as the Knicks center netted six points and grabbed four rebounds in the first quarter.
Thibodeau’s strategies are becoming quite bold, aren’t they?
Aaron Nesmith made headlines with an unexpected scoring surge in Game 1, hitting six three-pointers during the final quarter of the Pacers’ remarkable comeback. Nevertheless, his primary contribution lies in his defensive prowess and gritty determination, unmatched within his team’s ranks.
The 6-foot-5 wing typically shadows Brunson this series. However, he suffered an ankle injury after stepping on Brunson’s foot while driving along the baseline. Nesmith exited with 6:06 remaining in the third quarter, during which the Pacers led 70-57. Returning with 7:03 left in the fourth, he found the Knicks ahead 89-88, having outscored Indiana 32-18 in his absence.
With an essential defender turning into a liability, Andrew Nembhard struggling to find his shot, Ben Sheppard dealing with foul issues, and Tony Bradley perhaps spending too much time on the court, Carlisle faced some of the “haywire” rotations he had cautioned about prior to the game.
Nesmith’s ankle situation will generate discussions over the next 48 hours, as will the Pacers’ unusually cold shooting night and Pascal Siakam’s peculiar performance; despite scoring 17 points, the Knicks were 21 points better when he was on the floor.
For New York, the stakes between being 2-1 versus 3-0 are monumental. Regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, they will be taking the Pacers back to Madison Square Garden at least once more, looking to improve their current 3-5 home record.
Indiana responded strongly in the previous round against the top-seeded Cavaliers, dropping Game 3 at home but dominating Game 4 in a 20-point rout. However, depending on patterns in this unpredictable playoff environment is a fool’s game, especially when both resilient teams seem incapable of being pushed to the brink.
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Steve Aschburner has been covering the NBA since 1980. For correspondence, reach out via email, view his archive here, and follow him on X.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
