Knicks Stave Off Elimination with Thrilling Fourth-Quarter Comeback Against Pacers
In a crucial Game 3 matchup, the New York Knicks fought back from the brink of disaster to defeat the Indiana Pacers, thanks in large part to a scintillating fourth-quarter performance from Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks’ star big man scored an astonishing 20 points in the final frame, matching the Pacers’ entire team’s output for the quarter, to help his side avoid a crippling 0-3 deficit in the series.
According to The Athletic’s live blog of the game, Towns’ incredible fourth-quarter display was the key to the Knicks’ victory. "Karl-Anthony Towns was brilliant in the fourth-quarter, scoring 20 points in the frame — which was the same as Indiana’s entire team — to help the Knicks avoid an all-but season-ending 0-3 whole in the series," The Athletic reported.
The Pacers’ star players, meanwhile, were unable to match Towns’ level of dominance. Tyrese Haliburton, who had broken the Knicks’ hearts with a game-tying jumper in Game 1, scored just seven points in the fourth quarter, and was unable to replicate his late-game heroics from earlier in the series. As The Athletic noted, Haliburton did manage to sink two free throws with 9.7 seconds left in the game to cut the Knicks’ lead to two points, but ultimately, the Pacers ran out of magic.
The Knicks’ victory was also built on the back of a sterling performance from Jalen Brunson, who battled through foul trouble for much of the game to score six points over the final 77 seconds and seal the win. Brunson’s clutch play was a testament to his growing reputation as a big-game performer, and provided a significant boost to the Knicks’ playoff hopes.
The win marks a significant turning point in the series for the Knicks, who had been on the brink of elimination before Towns’ incredible fourth-quarter display. As The Athletic noted, the Knicks’ victory was a "thrilling comeback" that will keep their season alive. The Pacers, meanwhile, will look to regroup and refocus ahead of Game 4, where they will aim to bounce back from a hard-fought defeat.
In assessing the game, it is clear that the Knicks’ ability to adapt and respond to adversity was a key factor in their victory. As The Athletic reported, the Knicks’ coaching staff made several key adjustments in the fourth quarter, which helped to unlock Towns and allow him to dominate the game. The Pacers, on the other hand, were left to ponder what might have been, had their stars been able to match the Knicks’ level of performance. "The Pacers’ stars weren’t able to match his dominance," The Athletic noted, in a post-game analysis that highlighted the decisive impact of Towns’ fourth-quarter heroics. The Athletic’s live blog provided extensive coverage of the game, offering readers a detailed and insightful account of the action as it unfolded.
