After their heavy defeat on Sunday at Indiana, the New York Knicks bounced back well on their floor at Madison Square Garden on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday to regain control in the series against the Pacers (3 wins to 2 now) at the end of a one-sided match (121-91). Symbol of this change of face between the two matches, Jalen Brunson, muzzled Sunday at 18 points, his lowest total of the play-offs, this time scored 44 points (plus 4 rebounds and 7 assists), great architect of the victory of the Knicks.
Untenable since the start of the playoffs (32.9 points on average per game), Brunson was decisive Tuesday evening in the first half, where he scored 28 points, then in the fourth quarter, where he sealed the victory for the his team with notably 7 consecutive points (106-86 at 7’57” from the end of the match). This is the fifth time in these play-offs that Brunson has scored more than 40 points.
Alongside Brunson, Isaiah Hartenstein was monstrous in rebounding for the Knicks (17 including 12 offensive) and Josh Hart (18 points and 11 rebounds), Alec Burks (18 points) and Miles McBride (17 points) also contributed to this New York’s third victory in the series. “We still need a victory so we shouldn’t get too excited,” said Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks coach. We must understand what we have to do, stay focused on our task. If you’re too happy with yourself, you get out in this league. We have to be ready. »
The Knicks are one win away from their first Conference Final since 2000
His Pacers counterpart regretted that his team had been “pulverized on the rebound”. “We allowed them 20 offensive rebounds and 29 additional shots,” cursed Rick Carlisle, whose team had started the game well (25-20) before suffering an 11-0 from the Knicks. So we deserved it. This is very embarrassing and a hard lesson. » His team tried to react in the third quarter, with three three-point shots in a little over a minute from Myles Turner which put the Pacers back only 7 points behind the Knicks (70-63), then in the fourth, with a 9-0 – including 6 points for Pascal Siakam (22 in total) -, but that’s when Brunson extinguished their last hopes.
The two teams will meet on Friday on the Pacers floor for Game 6 of the series and the Knicks will have a first opportunity to qualify for the Eastern Conference final, a stadium they have not visited since 2000. In case of defeat, they will host the decisive match on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
