The New York Knicks overturned a 20-point deficit as they fought back to beat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.
The Knicks cut Indiana’s lead to 2-1 in the series and after losing both games at their Madison Square Gardens they are now right back in the battle for a place in the NBA Finals.
Karl-Anthony Towns starred for the Knicks with 24 points — 20 of them in an explosive fourth-quarter performance — and he contributed 15 rebounds as New York recorded their joint-largest comeback in a playoff game.
The Pacers must now regroup for Game Four on Tuesday having let a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead slip from their grasp.
Jalen Brunson added 23 points but had five fouls and had to sit for stretches of the game, although the Knicks never let up when he was on the bench.
The Pacers had started strong and were 20 points up late in the second quarter after a 13-0 run which included a three-pointer from Tyrese Haliburton, who followed it up with a huge dunk.
But the Knicks responded with a 10-3 run to end the second quarter and that was emblematic of their effort and proved to be a sign of things to come.
New York ground their way closer and closer and grabbed the led when Towns drained a 26-foot three-point jumper and then quickly followed up with a violent dunk to make it 86-85 with 8:02 remaining in the game.
Indiana kept in touch but Towns made a 30-foot three-pointer to put New York 94-90 up and the Knicks never let that lead slip.
“When I got a chance tonight to do what I do in the fourth, I made sure I was going to seize the opportunity,” said Towns, who made 8-of-17 shots from the floor, including 3-of-7 from three-point range, and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
“I just wanted to go out there and give our team a chance to win. I’m just happy I was able to do that,” he added.
The Knicks have so often depended on Brunson this season but with their star’s minutes restricted due to his five fouls, they showed their depth.
“That’s what we’re built on,” Brunson told broadcasters TNT.
“We’re a great team, great chemistry. Built on togetherness. It’s tough watching from the side lines, but I got the utmost faith and confidence in them.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images
