Knicks Refuse to Fold: Big Game 5 Win Sends Series Back to Indiana
Talk about a sudden mood swing in Madison Square Garden. Down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks looked desperate but determined as the Indiana Pacers walked onto their home court Wednesday night. Nobody wanted another somber handshake line—not yet. Instead, the Knicks powered past Indiana, 111-94, putting new life into a series that felt all but done after the last buzzer in Indiana. Now, Game 6 is set, and suddenly the Pacers are doing the math and fighting their own nerves.
It wasn’t just about staving off elimination. New York came out hungry, sharper on both sides of the floor. After being outplayed earlier, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau called for more muscle inside and quicker ball movement. The whole team seemed to hear him loud and clear. Julius Randle was relentless getting to the rim. Jalen Brunson, who’d struggled at times in the series, looked calm but aggressive, reasserting himself as the team's leader. The supporting cast chipped in with all the ugly, hustle-filled plays that don’t get a stat but win playoff games—deflections, hard screens, second-chance rebounds.
Indiana, on the other hand, just couldn’t find their gear this time. Tyrese Haliburton, who had just delivered a monster Game 4—one for the ages with 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, and not a single turnover—looked human for once. The Pacers passed the ball well and played hard, but nothing seemed to click. Their shooters went cold. The Knicks’ defense, especially around the arc, smothered Indiana’s game plan from the opening quarter.
Momentum Shift: Pacers Struggle as Knicks’ Strategy Pays Off
Fans probably expected the Pacers to keep rolling after Haliburton joined the likes of Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokic for his Game 4 stat line. In postgame interviews, his teammates raved about his unselfishness and composure. But history only tells you so much. When the lights went up in New York, the Pacers looked a step behind. Key scorers couldn’t get comfortable, and New York boxed out hard, stifling any easy put-backs or transition plays that Indiana usually feasts on.
Tom Thibodeau’s strategy was clear: make Indiana take tough shots, push them into late-clock situations, and control the pace. It worked. Even late in the third quarter, with New York nursing a lead, the crowd felt there was no letting up. Every time the Pacers cut it to single digits, the Knicks found another surge, usually led by Brunson or Randle, but also thanks to a fired-up bench. Knicks’ reserves crashed the boards, hit big open looks, and played inspired defense, making the difference between a nail-biter and a comfortable win.
Now, the series heads back to Indiana for Game 6. The Pacers, riding a franchise-record streak of four straight series-clinching wins, have their backs against the wall for the first time these playoffs. New York is banking on all that momentum, hoping for another inspired night. All eyes are on Haliburton: Can he summon more magic at home, or will the Knicks’ gritty rhythm push this showdown to a do-or-die Game 7?
