Overcoming 20-point deficits has been the 2025 New York Knicks’ mantra this postseason, as they erase yet another in Game 3 to beat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday night.
All three 20-point comebacks have come on the road this postseason; Games 1 and 2 against the Boston Celtics and Game 3 against the Pacers.
After scoring just four points through the first three quarters of the game, New York got what they traded for from Karl-Anthony Towns in the fourth. Towns recorded 19 points in the final frame to lift the Knicks over the Pacers.
“Poor job of closing the third quarter and not a good enough start to the fourth quarter, turned it into a real back-and-forth game and they executed down the stretch and we did not,” said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.
Towns, the Knicks’ big summer acquisition, recorded a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double.
Even though the Clutch Player of the Year struggled offensively and was in foul trouble early, Jalen Brunson knocked down a floater with 1:17 to go in the game and two free throws in the final seconds to clinch the victory in Game 3.
Knicks Head Coach Tom Thibodeau shook up the starting lineup in an attempt to give his team a spark in a must-win game with their season on the line. Mitchell Robinson entered the starting five, with Josh Hart coming off the bench.
Despite the combination of Robinson and Towns, which gave the Knicks length and an advantage on the glass, they were out-rebounded 50-46, but won on the offensive glass 9-6.
At the end of the first half, the Pacers led 58-45 as they had the Knicks right where they wanted them. New York was forced to play Indiana’s brand of fast-paced basketball. The Pacers outscored the Knicks in the fastbreak game, 16-2 and dominated on their opportunities by scoring 22 points off of turnovers compared to New York’s eight.
A strong end to the third quarter from Miles McBride, with Brunson on the bench due to foul trouble, surged the Knicks’ comeback. Deuce recorded five points in 32 seconds to cut the third quarter deficit to just eight points.
In Brunson’s absence, the Knicks were plus-12 without him on the floor. It was a gritty, team win without their star point guard making an impact until they needed him to close out the game, but all of a sudden New York has a pulse ahead of Game 4.
“I have to play better, I have to stop turning the ball over,” Brunson said postgame after coughing up the basketball three times.
The All-NBA Second Team guard finished with 23 points, went 100% from the charity stripe, as he knocked down all 10 attempts. The Knicks can exhale, but Brunson shot just 33% from the field – he’ll have to be better if New York wants a chance to bring this series back home tied at 2-2.
Coming into the night, the Knicks were 0-14 in a best-of-seven series all-time when trailing 0-2 in a series and the Pacers were 9-0 in the same scenario. Both teams were long overdue.
Thibs went to his bench, as Delon Wright and Landry Shamet combined for 24 minutes off the bench.
“They’re really good pros, when I say that I mean they do the right thing every day,” Thibodeau said. “That goes a long way.”
Now, they have a chance to even up the series before heading back to the Big Apple in Game 5.
New York is back in action against Indiana on Tuesday night back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 4. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.
