By Tate Hutchinson
After the Pacers took care of business, confidently winning their two games in Indiana, the Knicks needed to regain stability in the now-tied series at MSG on Tuesday. And now down two starters and two key backups due to injury, New York required a formidable effort from its leaders to take the lead back.
With a final score of 121 to 91, the Knicks sure showed out at home. Jalen Brunson returned to form with his historic playoff scoring with a game-leading 44 points, wings Josh Hart and Miles McBride contributed with 18 and 17 points, respectively, and unsung bench heroes emerged in Precious Achiuwa (2 blocks, 2 steals) and Alec Burks (18 points) to give New York the win.
The Knicks will have a chance to close out the series Friday at Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but will be without defensive stopper OG Anunoby until at least a potential Game 7. And Indiana, winners of every game at home this playoffs so far, will hope to continue the pattern to push the Knicks to a Game 7 at MSG.
The winner of the series will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston, fresh off of defeating Donovan Mitchell’s Cavaliers, have only lost two games in the playoffs so far. And with a Knicks team with injuries piling up, New York will need to stick to the recipe that has continued to work so far this postseason: let Jalen Brunson shine.