The New York Knicks looked to be in deep trouble early, but they showed their resilience once again and stormed back down 20 to defeat the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals 106-100. New York now trails in the series 1-2 but now have momentum for the first time this series.
Karl-Anthony Towns took over in the fourth quarter
Karl-Anthony Towns was the guy who came through for the Knicks in Game 3. Tom Thibodeau decided to start Towns alongside Mitchell Robinson, and for the first three quarters, Towns struggled with the lineup change, scoring just four points.
NBA: Playoffs-New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
However, he turned it up in the fourth quarter and was critical to the Knicks’ 20-point comeback. He scored 20 points in the fourth quarter on 6-for-9 shooting and 3-for-4 shooting from three-point range.
Towns took over the game when the Knicks badly needed someone to. Jalen Brunson had picked up his fifth personal foul early in the fourth quarter, so it was up to Towns to make a difference, and he did exactly that. His fourth quarter heroics have now put the Knicks in a position to get back in the series.
The Knicks expanded the bench in Game 3 and they provided an impact
Thibodeau expanded the rotation in Game 3, looking for some sort of spark off the bench. Delon Wright and Landry Shamet, two guys who were out of the rotation for the entire postseason until Game 3, arguably made the biggest difference in this one.
Wright played 13 minutes and scored just two points, but he made a massive impact on the defensive side and was a big reason behind the big comeback. He first came in when Miles McBride recorded three fouls in just over a minute, and he made a great impact.
NBA: Playoffs-New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
He was providing great pressure on the defensive side and forced Indiana to take very tough shots. Without him, the Knicks might not have made this comeback.
Shamet played 11 minutes and knocked down one three-pointer. He had the highest plus-minus on the Knicks in Game 3 with a +12. Similar to Wright, he put pressure on Indiana defensively, and his presence helped shift the momentum in the Knicks’ favor.
Overview
The Knicks secured their biggest win of the postseason in electric comeback fashion. While this win is big for them, they still trail in the series, so they will need to replicate the energy in the second half to tie up the series. Game 4 is set for Tuesday at 8 P.M. EST.