The New York Knicks jumped out to a 27-23 first quarter lead on Thursday in their home tilt with the Indiana Pacers, giving coach Tom Thibodeau's team a strong foundation to build on in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Finals series.
The Knicks' strong first quarter led to a 29-22 bulge in the second quarter, constituting a 56-45 halftime lead for Jalen Brunson and New York.
The Knicks' performance included 14 points from Brunson and 17 from star center Karl Anthony-Towns.
At halftime, NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley shared his unfiltered thoughts on the Knicks' team and how they play around Jalen Brunson.
Brunson during Game 5 in New York.
Jalen Brunson gestures during the May 29 game at Madison Square Garden vs. Indiana.
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Barkley said that the Knicks need to do a better job of being aggressive when Brunson is on the floor.
He called Brunson the Knicks' closer but questioned his teammates' commitment toward playing to win and being aggressive.
"I always told my teammates to be aggressive, they are so unaggressive when he's on the floor," Barkley said of Brunson's teammates.
"It drives me crazy."
The Knicks got points from six players other than Brunson and Towns during the first half of Thursday's game but none were in double figures.
The Pacers did not have a single player in double digits with Pascal Siakim leading the team in scoring at halftime with nine points.
Series star Tyrese Haliburton was held to just four points in 17 minutes as the Knicks continued to hold the Pacers down in the first half of action.