On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling game that saw Jalen Brunson make a remarkable comeback from an injury. Brunson scored 24 of his 29 points in the second half, leading the Knicks to a 130-121 victory and taking their lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals to 2-0.
The game was particularly meaningful for Brunson, who returned at halftime after missing the entire second quarter while the Pacers took the lead. His return ignited Madison Square Garden and was a game-changer for the Knicks. Although Brunson didn’t quite reach the milestone of becoming only the second player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in five straight playoff games, his efforts were crucial in helping the Knicks secure their victory.
OG Anunoby also had a standout game, scoring a career playoff high of 28 points before leaving with a left hamstring injury in the third quarter. Despite facing injuries to key players like Anunoby, the Knicks managed to pull off their win with contributions from Brunson and his Villanova teammates. Donte DiVincenzo scored 28 points while Josh Hart contributed 19 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton led the charge for Indiana, bouncing back from a poor Game 1 performance with 34 points, nine assists and six rebounds. However, after losing coach Rick Carlisle to ejection following two technical fouls, things started going downhill for Indiana.
The series now shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3 and Game 4 as both teams look forward to continuing their fight for supremacy in this intense playoff matchup.
