Nightly Pulse: Knicks Fight Back But Pacers Hold Edge in Game 3 Thriller

First Half Surge by Pacers

The game started with both teams trading early blows. OG Anunoby made an impact immediately for the Knicks with two blocks and a triple, while Mitchell Robinson added early buckets and boards. However, Indiana quickly responded with threes from Myles Turner and Ben Sheppard, gaining a slim edge by the end of the first quarter, 30-26.

In the second, the Pacers pulled away with a 12-4 run sparked by T.J. McConnell and Pascal Siakam. Tyrese Haliburton delivered highlight plays, including a deep three and a powerful dunk, as Indiana pushed their lead to 20 points. New York clawed back late, trimming the deficit to 58-45 at halftime, despite Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns battling foul trouble.

Knicks Show Life in the Second Half

New York came out strong in the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, who contributed with a layup and a momentum-shifting three-pointer. Miles McBride also stepped up, scoring from all three levels to bring the Knicks within five points at 82-77.

But Indiana responded every time New York threatened. One of the plays of the night came in the third quarter when Andrew Nembhard intercepted a pass, took it coast-to-coast, dished it to Haliburton, who then delivered a no-look assist to Siakam for a thunderous slam — a sequence that captured the Pacers’ team chemistry and firepower.

🚨 Injury Watch

Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith left the game with an ankle injury and was questionable to return, a potential setback for the Pacers moving forward.

🧠 Coaching Moves and Lineup Shifts

New York made a notable lineup change by starting Mitchell Robinson at center and moving Josh Hart to the bench to match Indiana's size. The Pacers, on the other hand, stuck with their tried-and-true starting five — and it paid off.

📊 Historical Odds

With a 2-0 lead heading into Game 3, Indiana already had history on their side — only 28 out of 357 teams have come back from such a deficit. With this Game 3 win, the odds are even more heavily stacked in Indiana’s favor as the Knicks now face elimination.

🏁 Final Thoughts

Despite trailing much of the game, the Knicks showed heart and fight. If they want to avoid a sweep, Game 4 is do-or-die. Can they extend the series, or will the Pacers punch their ticket to the Finals?

🗓️ Game 4 is set for later this week, again in Indiana, live on TNT, truTV, and Max.