Karl Anthony Towns had a slow start on Friday night, finding himself scoreless after the first quarter. However, with Mitchell Robinson making a significant impact throughout the first half, the situation changed. After halftime, the team began to gain momentum, cutting the deficit and coming close to a 20-point swing over the last three quarters.
Interestingly, the team went quiet for nearly seven minutes during the fourth quarter. Coach Tom Thibodeau led the Knicks in a nail-biting finish at Madison Square Garden, with a final score of 114-109, as the Pacers started to play aggressively, particularly in the last few minutes of the game.
During the game, the Knicks initially fell behind by 20 points, but the starting lineup struggled to find their rhythm early on. Then, Robinson and Miles McBride brought some much-needed energy off the bench, ultimately turning the situation around to a 52-49 lead at one point.
Robinson spent an impressive 16 consecutive minutes on the court, receiving applause from fans as he left the floor with 1:42 remaining in the second quarter. He finished with six points, nine rebounds, and three blocks over 29 minutes.
Meanwhile, OG Anunoby had a contrasting first half, scoring all nine of his points early, including a three-pointer and a couple of dunks. One dunk came after a pass from TJ McConnell and another from Jalen Brunson. He ended the game with 16 points, but the Knicks dropped to 2-6 in the playoffs when he fails to reach 20 points.
Following his initial scoring in the first half, Anunoby experienced a dry spell but later pulled the Knicks closer with a basket that brought the score to 64-61 midway through the third quarter.
The game remained tight, with both teams grappling for control. Halliburton, after a lackluster first half where he scored just two points on seven shots, rebounded in the second half, finishing with 14 points and 11 assists.
