The Indiana Pacers had the Knicks cornered — overwhelmed, battered and desperate.
In a scene reminiscent of The Walking Dead, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers played Negan, while Jalen Brunson and the Knicks were cast as Glenn — a grim parallel with a known outcome.
The roles fit perfectly, but Thursday’s Game 5 at The Garden unfolded like Knicks fan fiction, defying the expected script. Instead, Indiana took the barbed-wire bat to the head, falling 111-94 on the road as the Knicks secured their second win in five games of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In 2000, the Pacers reached the NBA Finals by defeating the Knicks at The Garden in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Twenty-five years later, history did not repeat itself. To avoid a critical Game 7 on Monday in Manhattan, the Pacers must rebound from one of their worst playoff losses and close out the series on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana has bounced back from every playoff loss this season, but have the Knicks finally discovered a winning formula?
Haliburton, who dominated the Knicks throughout the series, was limited to eight points on 2-for-7 shooting with two rebounds and six assists. Despite playing only 28 minutes in the blowout, the Pacers’ All-Star faced stifling team defense, as Indiana shot just 40.5% (30-for-74) from the field as a team.
Brunson finally outshined his counterpart, finishing 32 points, five rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes. The Knicks played with heightened urgency, advancing the ball faster to counter Indiana’s relentless full-court press. After committing 17 turnovers in Game 4, the Knicks improved to 15 giveaways in Game 5, but fewer of them were of the live-ball variety — which allowed them to better set up their half-court defense.
Despite a poor shooting night, the Pacers generated quality looks, especially when targeting mismatches against Karl-Anthony Towns in the post. However, Towns stood his ground, and Indiana failed to capitalize.
The Pacers played tense, while the Knicks played with desperation — a difference that proved decisive in Game 6. Knicks fans roared back to life, finding their voice after Mitchell Robinson’s putback with 8:49 remaining in the third quarter.
The first “Let’s Go Knicks” chant erupted shortly after, energizing the entire arena. And Indiana will continue to hear it wherever they go until they can successfully close the series out.
