CNN
–
The theme of the Eastern Conference Finals so far was a comeback, continuing on Sunday night in Indianapolis.
After the comeback of the Indiana Pacers’ miraculous game 1, in Game 3 of the Best of Seven Series, the New York Knicks produced their own dramatic return from the ropes of the road at the noisy Gainbridge Field House.
The Knicks dragged up to 20 points in the second quarter, but thanks mainly to fourth quarter performances inspired by Karl Anthony Towns, New York focused on a 106-100 victory, cutting the series’ deficit to 2-1.
“When you’re down 20 or more, that’s a real test,” Towns, who finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds in the evening, told reporters later. “Tonight was the kind of night we had to have an unattended attitude.”
Indiana left New York with a firm grip on two road victory and a series, so he went home full of confidence and pep at that step.
And they brought that momentum into Game 3, and it looked like the Knicks were still on the plane.
The Pacers’ lead was 20 at one point in the second quarter, but New York slowly reduced the deficit to 10 when the fourth quarter began.
But the town stepped up just as Indiana was taking a 3-0 series lead and trying to put one foot in the NBA Finals.
The forward scored 20 points and snatched eight rebounds in the final quarter, and Indiana began to fail in the offense.
In the last three quarters, New York was dependent on a balanced state, but at crunch time it was the town that became the scorer.
“The team’s mantra are selfish men,” Knicks manager Tom Thibodeau said afterwards. “When someone goes, you try to keep him going. It’s realizing what’s at work.”
The Pacers opened the Eastern Conference Finals with a historic comeback, but the Knicks are also used to fighting back from the brink of this postseason.
They launched their second round series with two 20-point comebacks with defending champion Boston Celtics. Sunday’s results became the only team in NBA history to quit such three comebacks in one postseason.
For Indiana, it was a struggle against the offense as the team scored the lowest playoff total so far.
In the previous 2025 postseason, a pacer is 10-0 when he scores 114 or more points, but is 0-3 if he doesn’t score a mark.
On Sunday, they missed 20 of their 25 three-point attempts, with the lowest attempts, lowest attempts and worst shooting rates so far deeper, previously averaged 14.
Tyrese Haliburton led the way to Indiana with 20 points including 2025 Indy 500 winner Alex Pallow, disappointed.
Game 4 of this Topsy-Turvy series is star Jalen Brunson, who scored 23 points on Sunday, called “unpredictable” after Game 3 and will take place on Tuesday night.
