The New York Knicks came into Indiana with their backs against the wall and walked out with their first playoff win on the Pacers’ home turf, clawing their way to a gritty 106-100 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. With their season teetering on the edge after dropping the first two games at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks delivered when it mattered most.
The Indiana Pacers, known as the most explosive offense left standing in the playoffs, were stifled and held to a postseason-low output. After averaging a scorching 118.9 points per 100 possessions through their first 13 playoff contests, Indiana suddenly found itself ice cold, especially from deep. With Indy 500 champ Alex Palou watching from the stands, the Pacers shot a dismal 5-of-25 from three-point land, marking their worst shooting night of the playoffs in terms of makes, attempts, and percentage. A team that had been living behind the arc averaged 14 threes per game before Sunday. Not this time.
Historically, the math is simple: when Indiana scores 114 or more, they’re undefeated at 10-0. When they don’t? 0-3. The Knicks forced them into that losing column again, and they did it with grit, hustle, and a fourth-quarter masterclass from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Trailing by 20 in the second quarter and with Jalen Brunson hampered by foul trouble, the Knicks seemed headed for disaster. But a late first-half push trimmed the deficit to 13 before the break, and a 10-3 run helped swing momentum their way. They chipped away throughout the third quarter and then blew the game wide open in the early minutes of the fourth, going on a decisive 17-5 run.
That stretch? All Towns.
The big man dropped 20 in the fourth quarter alone, matching the Pacers’ entire scoring output during that span. He was locked in: 6-of-9 from the field, 3-of-4 from deep, 5-of-6 at the line, and added eight boards for good measure. He became unguardable, and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle couldn’t find an answer in Myles Turner or Tony Bradley.
Meanwhile, Brunson’s limited playing time was a surprising subplot. Averaging nearly 39 minutes through the playoffs, he barely crossed the 30-minute mark in Game 3. And while he’s the Knicks’ engine on offense, New York actually outscored Indiana by 12 in the 17 and a half minutes he sat—a rare statistical twist in the All-Star’s postseason run.
Make no mistake, this win was critical. Going down 3-0 would’ve been a death sentence. Now, at 2-1, the Knicks have breathed life back into their playoff campaign. Regardless of what happens in Game 4, they’ve guaranteed the Pacers have to come back to The Garden—and that’s exactly where New York wants them.
Next up: Game 4. Tip-off Tuesday night. The series is alive—and so are the Knicks.