Knicks Stay Alive: Game 6 Shifts Back to Indy in Wild Series

Knicks Cut Series to 3–2. Game 6 Heads Back to Indy

The New York Knicks claw back with a huge Game 5 win. Can the Pacers close it out at home, or are we headed for a Game 7 thriller?

The New York Knicks were in big trouble heading into Game 5, staring down the possibility of elimination. They now look to become just the 14th team in league history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit. Last night was a strong start to that comeback with a dominant performance at the Garden. The question now is: can Tyrese Haliburton, or rather, Benn Mathurin and company, hold them off in Indiana on Saturday night?

You really can’t ask for better consistency from the Knicks’ stars in this series.

Even if it hasn’t always led to wins, KAT and Jalen “Brunson Burner” Brunson (I’m taking credit for that nickname) have both put up at least 20 points in every game. What the Knicks need now is steady production from their role players in Game 6, and potentially Game 7. New York might also want to find a witch or sorcerer to counter the Pacers’ blood magic. That said, contributions from Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet have provided a major spark when KAT and Brunson are off the floor.

The Pacers, on the other hand, are still searching for consistency from their stars. Tyrese Haliburton followed up his all-time performance with one of the worst showings we’ve seen from a star in a while. Pascal Siakam (who I don’t consider a star) is one of the most unfluid scorers in the league and often disrupts the flow of the offense. Even when Spicy P is on, he tends to be more of a liability than a help with his ball stopping.

Still, it’s inexcusable that Mathurin was the only Pacer to score 20 points in a closeout game.

The Pacers’ role players don’t necessarily need to score to make an impact, their main job is slowing down Brunson on the defensive end. But someone besides Mathurin has to step up.

At this point, both teams just need consistency, whether it’s from the stars, the bench, or even the coaches. This series remains a true toss-up. If the Knicks can steal one in Indiana, it’ll be tough for the Pacers to weather the storm in a Game 7 back at the Garden. But hey, this is the NBA, anything can happen. And with these two franchises, don’t be surprised if we get another instant classic.

Unfortunately for both squads, a juggernaut is waiting on the other side.

I don’t think either team has the firepower to take down Oklahoma City in a seven-game series. But we’ll see.

As always, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

View All NBA Posts →