The New York Knicks, in a must-win game against the Indiana Pacers, played more depth pieces in the first half than they have all season. Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Delon Wright all got early run, although the starters, as always, needed to step up.
Instead, they flailed, and the Pacers led at halftime, 58-45.
The Knicks have never been able to tout their depth this season, and with their backs pressed up against the wall, their starters seemed to forget that.
Jalen Brunson
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the hoop past Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) during the first quarter of game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
In the first half, the Knicks committed 16 fouls to the Pacers' ten. Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride picked up three, and Jalen Brunson had four.
With Brunson unable to play physically on either end of the court for the entire second half, it's hard to imagine the Knicks coming back. Towns is in the same boat, although he only scored four points and shot 28 percent from the floor in the first half, so if he doesn't get much playing time, that might be for the better.
Down 0-2, it makes sense that the Knicks would play with some desperation, but instead of pushing the pace, they leaned into physicality. Understanding that this is a must-win game, the Knicks are smart to leave everything on the court, although they have risked injury and fouling out, leaving them sitting like ducks in the water for the Pacers to pick apart down the stretch.
With both Brunson and McBride in foul trouble, the Knicks' already-shallow roster has been slashed, and the Pacers will attack both of them on offense, hoping to draw even more fouls.
Check out the All Knicks home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.