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With elimination looming, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a statement at Madison Square Garden, leading the Knicks to a commanding 111-94 win over the Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Brunson poured in a game-high 32 points and dished five assists, while Towns added 24 points, 13 rebounds, and a game-best +26 in the plus-minus column. The duo became the first teammates since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 to each score 20+ in the first five games of a Conference Finals.
Brunson set the tone early with 14 first-quarter points and continued his barrage with 16 in the third, including a clutch four-point play that halted an Indiana run. Towns kept the momentum going with 12 points in the second quarter and closed strong in the fourth, igniting The Garden with an and-1 finish and flex.
The Knicks, who led wire-to-wire, also got 12 points apiece from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Brunson and Towns have now both scored 20+ in the same game 39 times this season, with New York going 25-14 in those contests.
With the win, the Knicks trail the series 3-2 but shift to Indiana for Game 6 on Saturday, aiming to force a Game 7 back in New York.