Knicks fall 103-116 as the Pacers force the decisive Game 7

Game 6 between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers was a rollercoaster ride that started promising and ended bad, culminating in a heart-pounding 116-103 victory for the Pacers, pushing this series to a thrilling Game 7 showdown.

Let’s dive into the action-packed details. Jalen Brunson came out guns blazing, dropping an impressive 31 points for the Knicks, with Miles McBride and Donte DiVincenzo chipping in with 17 points each. DiVincenzo was on fire in the first half, hitting 6 out of 10 shots, including a buzzer-beater that cooled down the crowd. But alas, he cooled down in the second half, going 0-4.

Speaking of ups and downs, Josh Hart‘s night was a tale of resilience and frustration. After battling Pascal Siakam for a rebound, he injured his abdomen and asked out. He later returned to the court, only to be ruled out again in the fourth quarter. Hart finished th night with 5 points and 8 reobunds. With injuries already plaguing the Knicks’ lineup, every setback feels like a dagger to the heart.

The game took a sharp turn in the second quarter, as the Knicks saw their narrow 43-42 lead evaporate. What began as a promising start quickly turned into a 19-5 run for Indiana, flipping the script and leaving the Knicks playing catch-up. Just when it seemed like the Pacers had seized control heading into halftime, DiVincenzo unleashed a clutch corner three-pointer with less than a second remaining, trimming the deficit to 61-51 and injecting a jolt of momentum back into the Knicks’ camp.

However, despite Brunson’s heroic efforts in the second half, where he sizzled with a scorching 9-13 shooting performance, amassing 26 of his total 31 points, the rest of the Knicks struggled to find their rhythm. With no other player reaching double figures after halftime, the burden fell heavily on Brunson’s shoulders as he waged a one-man battle against the Pacers’ stifling defense.

While Brunson’s dazzling display boasted a remarkable 69.2% field goal rate in the second half, the stark reality was that the rest of the team could only muster a meager 33.3%, underscoring the desperate need for additional offensive firepower to complement their star guard’s brilliance.

Off the bench, Precious Achiuwa and Alec Burks provided a much-needed spark, combining for 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Pacers’ dominance in the paint and on the boards. The Pacers outrebounded the Knicks 47-35 and outscored them in the paint 62-38, proving once again that controlling the interior can make all the difference in a playoff game.

The Pacers came out swinging in Game 6, showcasing a balanced scoring attack that left the Knicks scrambling to keep up. Led by Pascal Siakam’s commanding 25-point performance and supported by Myles Turner’s 17 points, along with Andrew Nembhard, Tyrese Haliburton, and T.J. McConnell each chipping in 15 points, the Pacers displayed a depth of offensive firepower that proved too much for the Knicks to handle.

The Pacers dominated the boards, outrebounding the Knicks by a decisive margin of 47-35, while also asserting their dominance in the paint, outscoring their opponents 62-38.

As the series heads to a dramatic Game 7 showdown at the iconic Madison Square Garden, the stage is set for a battle of epic proportions. For the Knicks, it’s a chance to exorcise the ghosts of playoffs past and etch their names into the annals of franchise history.

Yet, as memories of their last Game 7 at the Garden in 1995 resurface, where heartbreak ensued at the hands of the same Indiana Pacers led by Reggie Miller, the specter of disappointment looms large. A missed opportunity by Patrick Ewing in the dying moments denied the Knicks a chance to force overtime, a bitter pill that still stings decades later. But as the saying goes, history has a funny way of repeating itself, and the Knicks will look to pen a new chapter in their storied rivalry with the Pacers, with redemption squarely in their sights.