Things looked bleak for the New York Knicks when season-long MVP Jalen Brunson missed the entire second quarter due to injury.
However, when Brunson returned in the second half, the Knicks regained their momentum and defeated the Indiana Pacers 130-121 in Game 2, taking a two-game lead in the NBA playoffs second-round series.
New York fought back from a 10-point deficit at halftime thanks to Brunson. He once again led the Knicks in the points department, but failed to score more than 40 points in a postseason contest for five straight years.
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New Yorkers gesture after making a 3-point shot during the first half of NBA Basketball’s second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in New York. – Knicks player Jalen Brunson (11 years old). (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Brunson finished with 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and had five assists and three steals.
After the game, Brunson told TNT about his return to action: “Honestly, I’m glad I did it. We found a way.”
When Brunson was ejected, the raucous Knicks faithful murmured at Madison Square Garden, unable to understand why. From there, the Pacers began to change the game, outscoring the Knicks with fast-break buckets and wide-open 3-pointers. They won the second quarter with a box score of 37-27, bringing the first half score to 73.
Knicks announce Mitchell Robinson will likely miss remaining playoffs with ankle ‘stress injury’
Tyrese Haliburton was a key component of the Pacers’ charge and had a much better game offensively than he did in Game 1, when he scored just six points on six total shots. Haliburton made seven 3-pointers, including five in the first half, and scored a game-high 34 points.
But MSG was furious when Brunson came out for warmups with minutes left in halftime and told head coach Tom Thibodeau he was ready to return after trying out his legs.
Obi Toppin #1 of the Indiana Pacers watches Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 2024 in New York City, New York. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Knicks would eventually defeat the Pacers 36-18 in the third quarter and regain the lead heading into the fourth.
And while the Pacers were relentless, Brunson and the Knicks continued to do what they do best: put the ball in the hands of their star point guards, grab offensive rebounds and shut out big games.
Well, Brunson is back, but the Knicks didn’t leave this game without bad injury news.
OG Anunoby, who scored 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, was sprinting down the court for a fast-break bucket when he appeared limping near the basket. The Knicks missed the remainder of the game with a sore left hamstring, but will be hoping the soreness doesn’t last until Game 3 on the road on Friday.
The Knicks were already without Mitchell Robinson, who reinjured his ankle and missed 50 games during the regular season. He will likely miss the rest of the playoffs.
But as Thibodeau said before the fourth quarter, it’s just the next guy stepping up. Donte DiVincenzo did his part with 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting and six threes, and Isaiah Hartenstein collected 12 rebounds and 14 points. Josh Hart also led the way in rebounding with 15 points and totaled 19 points himself.
The New York Knicks run on the court after scoring in the first half of Game 2 of the second round of the NBA basketball playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 in New York. Jalen Brunson (11 years old). (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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For the Pacers, Andrew Nembhard scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and Obi Toppin came off the bench to score 20 points against his old team. TJ McConnell was also bothering Brunson when he moved back to the defensive side of the ball in the second half. Offensively, he had a team-high 10 points and 12 assists.
The series now heads to Indianapolis, where the Pacers are undefeated in two games and trailing by a narrow margin, while the Knicks will overcome injuries to play their next game at home.
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