Knicks come back to beat Pacers to take a 2-0 series lead
INDIANAPOLIS – The New York Knicks rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 130-121 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 29 points, while former Indiana Hoosiers’ forward OG Anunoby and Donte DiVincenzo had 28 points. Tyrese Haliburton paced Indiana with 34 points and nine assists.
The Knicks jumped out to a 11-point lead eight minutes into the game, before the Pacers rallied behind Haliburton. The All-Star guard made a three-pointer to put Indiana up 29-28 with 1:27 to play in the first quarter. Two days after scoring only six points in Game 1, Haliburton had 13 in the first alone as the game was tied after one.
The Pacers took advantage of New York’s All-Star Brunson missing the whole second quarter with a foot injury. Haliburton added another nine points on three three-pointers as Indiana led 73-63 at halftime.
Brunson returned to the lineup out of the locker room sparking a Knicks’ rally. The Pacers scored the first basket of the half to go up by 12, but then New York outscored them 36-16 the rest of the quarter to take a 99-91 lead into the final quarter.
The teams went back-and-forth in the fourth before Donte DiVincenzo delivered the knockout blow with a three-pointer to put the Knicks up 124-115.
Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected late in the game.
Anunoby missed the entire fourth quarter with a sore left hamstring.
The series now shifts to Indianapolis with Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday at 7 p.m.
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