The New York Knicks have developed a penchant for coming away with wins in the most unlikeliest of situations. A 106-100 win in Game 3 of the Knicks-Pacers series on the road remains a testament of this as New York completed yet another 20-point comeback in the process.
The Knicks have racked up some miraculous performances in this year's postseason run. After two consecutive 20-point comebacks against the Boston Celtics in the semifinals, it became abundantly clear that New York was not a team to be taken lightly when cornered.
A crushing series of losses against the Indiana Pacers in Games 1 and 2 of ECF saw the Knicks in a very similar position. And almost like clockwork, the team came through with another unreal performance to keep their title hopes alive.
New York's postseason run has not only been special, but it has also been historically significant. Having overcome yet another 20-point deficit, their third in this run, the Knicks have recorded the most 20-point comebacks since 1998. With 27 years separating the momentous events, it is truly incredible to witness what this team has been capable of.
The game saw some tremendous performances by New York in the second half, specifically the fourth quarter. The Knicks made some changes to their roster with Mitchell Robinson entering the starting lineup in place of Josh Hart, a decision questioned by many.
While Robinson's impact on the game wasn't felt, Hart's contributions off the bench proved to be valuable down the stretch. But the most important player for the Knicks on Sunday night was undoubtedly Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns played like a man possessed in the second half. While taking up the task of leading the Knicks' offensive charge, the big man stacked up 20 points in just the fourth quarter, matching the entirety of Indiana's scoring in the fourth. The Knicks star ended the game with 24 points and 15 rebounds, a crucial effort in helping New York regain some control of the series.
The other key performer for New York in Game 3 was their star guard Jalen Brunson. The NBA's Clutch Player Of The Year came through in the final moments of the game to put the finishing touches on a masterful performance by Towns.
Brunson's clutch layup helped New York take control of the game with 1:17 on the clock, following which the Pacers had to resort to the foul game to keep their chances alive.
Brunson logged 23 points on 6-18 shooting from the field. However, most of his points came in the final frame, fuelling the narrative about his clutch gene.
This loss will hurt the Pacers, who were buzzing after their dynamic series of wins in New York. After starting the game on a roll, Indiana seemed to cool off by the last stretch. The team had an abysmal night shooting from beyond the arc, going 5-25.
With this win, the Knicks have avoided the sweep. But a 2-1 lead in Indiana's favor will be a point of concern for them. Game 4 of this series is set to take place on Tuesday at 8:00 pm ET, and safe to say New York will aim to tie things up with another win.
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