Dominican Republic’s Karl-Anthony Towns became the unexpected hero of the night as he led the New York Knicks to a dramatic comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers 106-100 to stay alive in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
With this win, the Knicks cut the series to 1-2 and regain confidence heading into Game 4, also on the Pacers’ home court.
Indiana dominated the first 3 quarters
The game seemed doomed from the outset.
Indiana, coming off two wins at Madison Square Garden, was dominant through the first two quarters.
They took a 20-point lead after an explosive start, crowned with a 13-0 run and a 55-35 score.
The atmosphere at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse was one of total celebration, especially after the tribute to Spanish driver Alex Palou, who had won the Indianapolis 500 that same weekend.
In that context, the Knicks looked lost.
Towns had just 4 points and 3 personal fouls, while Jalen Brunson, their main offensive player, was very erratic: 4 of 14 from the field, with 4 fouls to start the second half.
Nothing seemed to go right for Tom Thibodeau’s team.
Knicks came from behind in the fourth quarter
However, everything changed in the last quarter.
With the Knicks still down 10 points, Karl-Anthony Towns unleashed an offensive recital that silenced the home crowd.
In that final period, he scored 20 points, with a devastating effectiveness: 6 of 9 from the field and 3 of 4 in three-pointers.
He attacked the rim, dunked and added from the perimeter, turning the game around with an energy that carried the rest of the team.
The key moment came when Towns nailed a three-pointer to make the score 94-90 with just over five minutes to play.
Pacers collapsed
Buzzy
From that point on, the Pacers collapsed offensively: just 26% shooting from the field in the fourth quarter and 1 of 8 in three-pointers.
Tyrese Haliburton finished with 20 points, Myles Turner had 19 and Pascal Siakam had 17, but the team was lights out when they needed it most.
For the Knicks, in addition to Towns’ 24 points and 15 rebounds, Brunson contributed 23 points, OG Anunoby added 16 and Mikal Bridges 15.
The collective effort was key to capitalize on the explosion of their Dominican star, who signed one of his most memorable performances in the playoffs.
Now, the series remains 1-2 with Game 4 scheduled again in Indianapolis this Tuesday.
Although Indiana still holds home-court advantage, this victory revives New York's hopes and gives life to a team that was on the ropes
QueOnnda.com
For the U.S. Hispanic community, especially the Dominican community, this win represents more than just a match: it is a showcase of Latino talent shining on the most demanding stages of U.S. professional sports.
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