JAKARTA - After trailing 20 points at home to opponents, the New York Knicks again showed a mental steel victory by winning a crucial 106-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the East Region Final 3. This result reduces their lag to 1-2 and opens up opportunities to equalize in Game 4 which will be held Tuesday evening local time, or Wednesday morning 28 May WIB, in Indianapolis.
This comeback is the third time the Knicks have risen from a 20-point deficit in an away game on postseas this year. Previously, they did the same thing against the Boston Celtics in the semifinals of the conference. "We know the situation is getting dark for us," said the star Knicks, Jalen Brunson. "But the way we responded actually made this team even more solid."
Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 20 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, also made history with Brunson as two Knicks players who had scored 20 points or more in a quarter of the playoffs. Towns also added 15 rebounds in his impressive performance. "I just want to do whatever it takes for us to win," Towns said. "That's also thanks to the trust of my colleagues who continue to put me in the best position."
The head coach of the Knicks, Tom Thibodeau, said this revival was no surprise. "In the playoffs, there is no safe advantage," he said. "With game tempo and three-point shot power, distance can be quickly pursued. You see a comeback like this happening all the time."
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Meanwhile, Pacers faced a new challenge with Aaron Nesmith's fitness condition, who suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter. Despite having returned to play in the rest of the game, his performance declined and he only scored eight points. Coach Rickester said Nesmith would be the decision ahead of the match. "He was declared able to return to play at that time, and I don't want him to lose his rhythm. But obviously, he's not in the best shape."
Nesmith previously performed outstanding in Game 1 scoring 30 points and 8 of 9 incoming points. Meanwhile, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton admitted that he performed poorly in the second half of Game 3, where his team only scored 42 points. "I didn't manage to open up space and create chances. I have to fix that," he said. Haliburton himself recorded an average of 21.7 points and 9.7 assists per game in this series.
Brunson, who only scored 23 points in Game 3, still leads the Knicks statistics with an average of 34 points per game. The good news is that despite a knee injury, both Brunson, Towns, and Josh Hart are expected to still be able to appear in Game 4.
With the momentum now turning around, Knicks hopes to take advantage of their confidence and comeback experience to change the direction of this series. Pacers must also be vigilant, because the advantage at home is no longer a guarantee against a team as strong and tough as New York.
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