The Knicks are back in the fight, and man, did they make a statement in Game 3. Down 20 points and staring down the barrel of a 3-0 series hole, New York flipped the script with a heart-pounding 106-100 comeback win over the Pacers that left Gainbridge Fieldhouse in stunned silence. Karl-Anthony Towns was the maestro of this masterpiece, erupting for 20 of his 24 points in a fourth-quarter clinic, while Jalen Brunson, despite foul trouble, iced the game with a silky floater with just 1:17 to go. This wasn’t just a win—it was the Knicks reminding everyone they’ve got the grit to go the distance in the Eastern Conference finals.
The game started like the Pacers were ready to run New York out of Indy. Tyrese Haliburton was carving up the floor, dropping 20 points and dishing seven assists, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner chipped in 17 and 19, respectively. Indiana built a 16-point lead in the third, and on five separate occasions, they had the Knicks teetering on the edge of a blowout. But if there’s one thing this Knicks team has shown all postseason, it’s that they don’t go down easy. “It felt like every time we scored, they scored. Every time we didn’t, we got a stop,” Haliburton said postgame, shaking his head. “The ball got stuck a little bit.” That stickiness? That was the Knicks’ defense clamping down when it mattered most.
The third quarter was where the tide started to turn. Mikal Bridges, who’s been a quiet assassin all series, sparked the comeback with six quick points, slicing through the Pacers’ defense like a hot knife. Then Miles McBride, the unsung hero off the bench, closed the frame with seven straight, trimming Indy’s lead to just 10 heading into the fourth. That set the stage for Towns, who transformed into a one-man wrecking crew. He was everywhere—draining threes (3-of-7 from deep), crashing the boards for 15 rebounds, and throwing down dunks that had the Knicks’ faithful in the stands losing their minds. His 20-point fourth quarter was the kind of performance that swings a series, a reminder of why he’s one of the league’s most versatile bigs.
Brunson, despite sitting for chunks of the second half with foul trouble, was clutch when it counted. His go-ahead floater late in the game wasn’t just a bucket—it was a dagger, the kind of shot that makes you believe this Knicks team has something special brewing. “We never were able to really pull away,” Haliburton admitted, pointing to Indy’s eight second-half turnovers as a key culprit. The Pacers, who shot a brutal 5-of-25 from three, couldn’t find their rhythm when it mattered, getting outscored 36-20 in the final frame.
The Pacers didn’t help themselves with Aaron Nesmith’s injury scare. The sharpshooter, who’d been lights-out in Games 1 and 2 (13-of-20 overall, 10-of-12 from three), sprained his ankle in the third and struggled mightily, going 2-of-8 and failing to score after returning in the fourth. He’s expected to gut it out for Game 4 on Tuesday, but with the quick turnaround, you have to wonder how much he’ll have in the tank. For the Knicks, though, this win wasn’t just about one guy—it was a team effort. Bridges (15 points), McBride (7 crucial points), and Mitchell Robinson (6 points, 6 rebounds) all stepped up, while Josh Hart’s 10 boards and relentless hustle kept New York in the fight.
This Knicks team is playing with a chip on their shoulder, and it’s showing. Three times this postseason they’ve come back from 20-point deficits, and each time, it’s been a mix of star power and role players stepping up under Tom Thibodeau’s no-nonsense leadership. With the series now at 2-1, Game 4 in Indiana feels like a golden opportunity to even things up. If Towns keeps dominating, Brunson stays clutch, and the supporting cast brings that same fire, the Pacers might be in for a long night. The Knicks aren’t just back—they’re coming for it all. For more details on the box score, check the sports card above.
