Indiana beat Nicks again in New York

The Knicks and Pacers just can't do it without drama. After an unbelievable first game, the second was also decided by a single possession — and once again, Indiana came out on top, 114–109. Rick Carlisle's team has now taken a second road win and leads the series 2–0, which now heads to Indianapolis, where the Pacers are very strong on their home court. At this pace, they’re charging toward the NBA Finals — their first since the year 2000.

The first half was marked by a fantastic performance from Pascal Siakam. He opened the game with 11 straight points for the Pacers, who started much better than the Knicks. The power forward and 2019 NBA champion was an unsolvable mystery, finishing the half with 23 points in just 15 minutes on the court. Aside from Brunson and Anunoby, no one else on the Knicks could create offense, prompting coach Tom Thibodeau to rotate his lineup. He gave extended minutes to Miles McBride and unexpectedly rested Josh Hart for long stretches, but the main difference-maker was backup center Mitchell Robinson. After being a key player against the Boston Celtics, he continued bringing energy in this second game against Indiana.

Shai puts a true MVP performance in another Oklahoma win

He intimidated opponents, boxed out well in the paint, grabbed offensive rebounds, hustled on every defensive play, and recorded two blocks. He had a +13 rating (the highest on the Knicks) and was the team’s X-factor in staging a comeback and taking the lead. Karl-Anthony Towns, who had zero points in the first quarter, came alive in the second with 12 points to turn things around for the home team, which held the lead for the rest of the half. On the other end, Tyrese Haliburton had a quiet half, shooting just 1-for-7 from the field and scoring only two points, despite having favorable matchups against Towns and Robinson. He hesitated to shoot, opting instead for extra passes and safer plays, and his team missed his presence, trailing by three at halftime.

Pascal Siakam picked up right where he left off in the third quarter, relentlessly attacking the Knicks’ defense, and was joined by Tyrese Haliburton, who finally found his shooting touch. It was a great game of basketball at Madison Square Garden, with a true back-and-forth battle throughout the quarter. Whenever the Knicks would go on a run and hit a few shots, the Pacers would immediately respond with an answer to stifle the momentum. While the Knicks didn’t allow Indiana to play their usual fast-paced style, the visitors found other ways to score, especially in the paint through Siakam. After a hard-fought third quarter and some excellent basketball, the game was tied, setting the stage for the final 12 minutes.

If the Knicks and Pacers have taught us anything, it’s that the game isn’t over until the final buzzer sounds. Jalen Brunson led a 7–0 run that brought the Knicks within three points with 77 seconds left. After a solid defensive stop, Hart made a layup to cut the deficit to just one point with 14 seconds to go, after which Nesmith was fouled and made both free throws. Thibodeau didn’t call a timeout, and Brunson missed a deep three-point attempt off the glass. Myles Turner then sealed the game with two free throws, putting Indiana up by five and securing the win.