Knicks Fight Back from 20 Points Down to Win Game 3 Against Pacers

The New York Knicks made a stunning comeback to beat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night in Indianapolis.

Down by 20 points late in the second quarter, the Knicks showed great determination to turn the game around and now trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The Pacers, who had been the top-scoring team in the playoffs, had their worst offensive performance of the postseason, hitting just 5 of 25 three-point attempts and scoring only 100 points. They had averaged almost 119 points per 100 possessions before this game.

New York’s defence played a big role in slowing down Indiana, and their late push saw them outscore the Pacers 17-5 early in the fourth quarter to take the lead.

Towns Turns Up the Heat

Knicks centre Karl-Anthony Towns had a quiet start but exploded in the fourth quarter. He scored 20 of his 24 points in the final period, matching the entire Pacers team. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dominated the paint, helping his side hold on for the win.

Jalen Brunson, who struggled with foul trouble early on, praised the team’s unity at halftime when they were trailing. “We didn’t turn on each other. We stayed together,” he said.

Thibodeau Shakes Up Rotation

Known for sticking to a tight rotation, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau surprised many by using nine players. Delon Wright and Landry Shamet, who had barely played earlier in the playoffs, were given over 10 minutes each and contributed well, especially on defence.

Shamet finished with a game-high +12 plus-minus rating, and Mitchell Robinson, starting in place of Josh Hart, added six points and four rebounds early on.

Pacers Miss Nesmith’s Defence

Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith, known for his tough defence and his role in marking Brunson, left the game in the third quarter after twisting his ankle. At that point, the Pacers were leading 70-57. By the time he returned early in the fourth, the Knicks had taken the lead.

Without Nesmith, Indiana struggled to stop New York’s offence, and key players like Ben Sheppard were in foul trouble while others couldn’t hit their shots.

All Eyes on Game 4

The series continues with Game 4 on Tuesday. The Pacers will be hoping Nesmith recovers quickly, while the Knicks aim to level the series 2-2 and take the momentum back to Madison Square Garden.

With both teams proving they can come back from big deficits, the rest of this series promises to be full of drama.