Knicks Suffer Unexpected Defeat to Pacers in the First Game of the Conference Finals
In a dramatic turn of events that left fans speechless, the New York Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. The match, which went into overtime, culminated in a score of 138-135 in favor of the Pacers, despite the Knicks leading by 14 points in the last three minutes of regulation time.
Jalen Brunson, the Knicks star, sat on the podium to answer questions about another improbable comeback, but this time, the New York team found themselves on the losing side of the show. The Knicks, known for their tenacity, couldn’t hold their lead, making defensive errors and costly turnovers that cost them the game.
Defensively, we stopped stepping on the gas. The intensity and aggressiveness were not present.
Josh Hart
Forward Josh Hart expressed his frustration after the game. For his part, center Karl-Anthony Towns, who had an outstanding performance with 35 points and 12 rebounds, acknowledged that the team played well for 46 minutes, but that the final two minutes were fatal.
There were many good things we did and we put ourselves in a position to win. We played 46 good minutes. Those two minutes [are] where we lost the game, and that’s all of our fault.
Karl-Anthony Towns
The defeat was largely due to the Knicks’ inability to close out the game. The Pacers went a perfect 6-for-6 on shots during that stretch, including five three-pointers. Aaron Nesmith ignited the spark for the Pacers, finishing with 30 points. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged that Nesmith had too much space.
Indiana’s only shot that wasn’t a three, a jumper by Tyrese Haliburton, which bounced high off the rim before falling, seemed like it would be as well. However, replays clarified that his foot was on the line, giving the Knicks a reprieve. But in overtime, the Knicks couldn’t recover.
With the score 136-135 in favor of Indiana and 20 seconds remaining, New York seemed to want to foul the Pacers in the hope of getting the ball back. But they failed in that plan, and Obi Toppin managed an all-too-easy dunk. The Knicks had one last possession to tie the game, but Brunson and Towns missed three-pointers in the final 10 seconds, sealing Indiana’s comeback.
The Knicks’ effort was wasted. Brunson, who finished with 43 points, was forced to foul out with five personal fouls with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. New York led 94-92 at that moment, but went on a 14-0 run in the next two and a half minutes, giving them a 16-point lead. The Garden was electric as it seemed the Pacers had finally run out of answers.
The defeat will evoke comparisons to the Pacers’ comeback in 1995. The question of how close games would unfold was always something to consider in the series. Both the Pacers and the Knicks managed a couple of wins after overcoming 20-point deficits during the first two rounds of the playoffs. Brunson had made the most baskets in crucial moments this postseason, while Haliburton had scored the most shots in the last minute of games.
The Pacers struck the first blow, undoubtedly leaving the Knicks a bit wounded in this first round.
In the playoffs, when you win, it’s the best thing there is. When you lose, it’s the worst thing there is.
Jalen Brunson
Brunson and the Knicks now have the task of regrouping so as not to encounter an even worse feeling on Friday: going to Indianapolis with a 2-0 disadvantage.
