Knicks Defense and Jalen Brunsons 32-Point Performance Carry Team to 111-94 Victory, Cutting Pacers Series Lead to 3-2

The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 111-94 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night, thanks to a strong defensive effort and a franchise-record 32-point performance by Jalen Brunson.

After losing the first two games at home, the Knicks finally secured their first win on their home floor in the series. This victory prevented the Pacers from earning their second NBA Finals trip in franchise history.

Brunson, who had struggled against his point guard counterpart in the previous game, rebounded with a franchise-record 20th postseason game of 30 or more points. He led the Knicks with 32 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds despite a bruised left knee. The Knicks held the Pacers to just 45 points in the first half and limited Tyrese Haliburton, who had a triple-double in the previous game, to just eight points and six assists.

The Knicks' defense was key to their victory, as they held the Pacers to their lowest-scoring game of the postseason, shooting just 40.5% from the field. Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points off the bench for the Pacers, who had won six straight road games.

Brunson's strong performance in the first quarter set the tone for the Knicks' victory, as he scored 14 points and helped the team take a 27-23 lead. Towns also contributed 12 points in the second quarter, while Brunson was scoreless. The Knicks opened a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter and never looked back, ultimately securing their first trip to the conference finals since 2000.

The Knicks' victory has kept alive their hopes of becoming the 14th team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series. No team has ever won a conference finals series after dropping the first two games at home. The series will continue with Game 6 on Saturday night at Indiana's home court.