With their backs against the wall, the New York Knicks unleashed a relentless 111-94 thrashing of the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, breathing new life into their NBA Finals hopes.
Trailing 3-1 in the series, the Knicks defended Madison Square Garden with a fiery resolve, their defensive intensity and offensive precision forcing a critical Game 6.
Jalen Brunson was a maestro, orchestrating the Knicks’ attack with a dazzling 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. The Clutch Player of the Year also dished out five dimes and snagged five rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns owned the interior, bullying his way to a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double.
New York’s defense was elite, forcing Indiana into 20 turnovers.
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The Pacers’ usually dynamic offense stalled, with Tyrese Haliburton, fresh off a Game 4 triple-double, stumbling to just eight points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Pascal Siakam’s 15 points led Indiana, but their rhythm was disjointed, bogged down by sloppy passes and disrupted flow. Bennedict Mathurin’s 23 points off the bench offered a flicker of hope, but it couldn’t overcome the Knicks’ suffocating pressure.
The Knicks owned the night, shooting 49.4 percent from the field.
New York’s bench, sparked by Josh Hart’s gritty 12 points and 10 rebounds, kept the pedal down.
Though Indiana still leads 3-2, they’ll need to regroup for Game 6 at home.
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