Jalen Brunson Powers Knicks to Game 5 Domination, Forces Game 6 Against Pacers

Brunson's Electric Night Energizes New York

The New York Knicks just hit the reset button on their playoff ambitions, all thanks to a huge bounce-back led by Jalen Brunson. With a loud Madison Square Garden crowd at their back, the Knicks outplayed the Indiana Pacers 111-94 in Game 5, keeping their NBA Finals hopes alive and sending the series to a can’t-miss Game 6. Brunson looked unstoppable, pouring in 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting, darting through defenders and rising above tough coverage. Each bucket seemed to jolt his teammates and the arena, silencing any sense that the Knicks’ story was about to end this week.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s been a steady presence all postseason, pushed through foul trouble to rack up 24 points and pull down 13 boards. He threw his weight around at both ends, challenging the Pacers at the rim and yanking down rebounds to deny them second-chance opportunities. Whenever Indiana threatened to get close, Towns muscled his way to a strong finish.

Knicks Defense Smothers Haliburton, Crushes Pacers' Rhythm

Defense set the tone early. Head coach Tom Thibodeau dialed up the intensity, and his guys delivered. Tyrese Haliburton, who’s been a thorn in the Knicks’ side all series, looked out of sorts. New York chased him off his favorite spots and threw double teams his way, holding him to a quiet eight points on just seven shot attempts. Every time Haliburton touched the ball, it felt like Knicks defenders were swarming, shutting down passing lanes and daring someone else to step up for Indiana.

The Pacers, aiming for their first NBA Finals trip since 2000, couldn’t find a groove. They shot poorly early on and never recovered—this was the lowest scoring night they’ve had in the series. For stretches, Indiana just couldn’t buy a bucket, and with the Knicks flying everywhere on defense, the frustration started to show. The crowd loved it, rising to their feet as New York stretched the lead to 22 at one point, the biggest margin in any game of this Eastern Conference Finals.

• Jalen Brunson: 32 points (12 of 18 shooting)
• Karl-Anthony Towns: 24 points, 13 rebounds
• Pacers held to series-low 94 points
• Tyrese Haliburton: 8 points, 7 attempts

Now, all eyes turn to Game 6 in Indiana. The Pacers will pack their arena with fans hoping for a historic breakthrough, but New York’s confidence just shot back to life. A Pacers win means an NBA Finals clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who punched their ticket by ousting the Timberwolves out West. But after a night like this, betting against a fired-up Jalen Brunson and the Knicks might not be so easy.