INDIANAPOLIS — Call them the comeback kids, though it’s a name they hate to admit they like. Because if the Knicks had it their way, they would never find themselves down 20 in the first place. Yet it’s become a common occurrence now through three playoff rounds for a team — for better or worse — becoming known for its resilience in the face of double-digit deficits. They came back from down 20, 20 and 14 in their second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. And for the third time in this playoff run, this time when on the brink of falling down 0-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers, the Knicks erased yet another 20-point deficit to stamp a 106-100 victory at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse late Sunday night.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I would love to not be down 20. We were down 20 and then we were up 17. Maybe if we’re in the middle, up 10 or something, that could be a good situation,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said at his locker after the game. “But it’s just we have the fight and the belief. I think today we were all connected, even in those moments of adversity, we didn’t go off as individuals. We came closer together, and I think that was really why we were able to get runs, get stops, we truly believed. That’s the kind of togetherness we have to have.”
WHAT HAPPENED
The Pacers took a 30-26 lead into the first quarter before uncorking a 25-9 run to lead 55-35 at 3:20 mark of the second quarter. Indiana’s Game 3 advantage marked the 10th time the Knicks have trailed by double digits in a game during the playoffs and the fifth time over the second and third rounds that the Knicks have been down by 20 or more points.
“I hate that we’ve gotta get down 20 all the time, but I don’t know. We just find a way,” said Mikal Bridges. “I think it’s the will to win every time.”
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau immediately called a timeout after Tyrese Haliburton’s dunk extended the Pacer lead to 20. The Knicks responded with 10-3 run to make it a 58-45 game entering the half.
“In playoff basketball, I know you guys roll your eyes when I say no lead is safe, but no lead is safe, because I think with the three-point shot people make up ground quickly,” Thibodeau said after the game. “The pace of the game, you make up ground quickly. So you see comebacks all the time and if you let up just a little bit, that’s what happens.”
The Knicks went on to win the third quarter, 25-22. Miles McBride, who picked up three fouls in his first 1:22 of action in the first half, scored seven points in the third, and Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each scored six points.
“Honestly, keep fighting. The thing about us is we’re gonna fight ’til the end,” said McBride. “We’ve given up leads, we know how the league works, where teams get comfortable. We just try to go out there and figure it out and stick together and keep fighting.”
In the fourth quarter, the Knicks outscored the Pacers, 36-20, with Towns scoring 20 of his 24 points in the final period.
“Fourth quarter is different. It’s a whole ‘nother game,” he said after the game. “Forget that last game and those last three quarters and just focus on giving yourself a chance to win the game. My teammates put me spots to succeed.”
“Getting stops and then getting out, getting easy buckets. Obviously, KAT had it going. Just the fight, I think that was the biggest thing,” added Josh Hart. “We let it slip in the first half, we got down 20, but we continued to fight, continued to trust in each other, continued to communicate at a high level, and it just benefitted us.”
Game 3 against the Pacers marked the Knicks’ third 20-point comeback of this playoff run.
“We’ve been there, we’ve been in those situations before,” said Mitchell Robinson. “We stuck with it and continued to fight and didn’t give up and luckily we got the win.”
While the Knicks seem to play their best basketball when staring down a double-digit deficit, it’s not the kind of fire they want to continue playing with in order to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.
“You’ve gotta win games different ways. Obviously, you prefer to play from a lead, but whatever it is that you have to do, that’s what you have to do to win in the end,” said Thibodeau. “Going into the game, we talked about, you don’t play the series, you play the game. Just focus in on what it takes to win tonight’s game. That’s all we’re thinking about.”
“We’re actually that close in the locker room,” added Towns. “When you’re down 20-plus, it’s a testament to the character of everyone in that locker room to not give up and continue to fight. So, I think this team has shown greatness all year. The Detroit series. The Boston series. Tonight was tonight we got to show that never-say-quit attitude. It’s a testament to everyone in the locker room.”
