Knicks stay alive! Jalen Brunson drops 32 and Karl-Anthony Towns battles through injury for 24 as the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 111-94 in Game 5.
Brunson delivers his 20th 30+ point playoff game, a new franchise record.
Towns fights through pain, dominating with 13 rebounds and clutch second-quarter scoring.
Knicks defense clamps down, holding Tyrese Haliburton to just 8 points.
Fans chant “Knicks in 7!” as Madison Square Garden erupts, and New York eyes a miraculous comeback.
Knicks Victory: Brunson and Towns Power New York Past Pacers in Game 5 Showdown
New York is not done yet — not by a long shot. In front of a roaring crowd inside Madison Square Garden with dozens of celebrities from Ben Stiller to Timothee Chalamet with Kylie Jenner, the New York Knicks unleashed a defiant 111-94 beatdown of the Indiana Pacers, clawing back from the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fueled by an electric performance from Jalen Brunson and a heroic, pain-defying showing by Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks now trail just 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and head to Indiana with momentum surging and belief in the impossible growing louder with every bucket.
Brunson Unstoppable as Knicks Rise from the Ashes
After a lackluster showing in Game 4, Jalen Brunson roared back like a man possessed, racking up 32 points and silencing all doubters. This marked his record-setting 20th game in a Knicks uniform with 30+ points in the postseason, a number that cements his place among franchise greats.
From the opening whistle, Brunson was laser-focused, scoring 14 in the first quarter alone. And when the Pacers tried to rally late in the third, Brunson responded with a 12-0 Knicks run, including a jaw-dropping four-point play that sent MSG into a frenzy.
This wasn’t just a win. This was Brunson’s redemption arc.
Towns Battles Through Injury Like a Warrior
Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t even sure he’d play in Game 5. With a bruised left knee and questions swirling, most expected him to be limited. But when the lights came on, Towns delivered a performance worthy of legend.
He posted 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, showing zero signs of slowing down. In the second quarter, with Brunson resting and the Knicks needing a lift, Towns carried the scoring load, netting 12 points and asserting his dominance in the paint.
Every bucket. Every board. Towns’ pain was real — but his will was stronger.
Haliburton Silenced, Knicks Defense Dominates
Two nights ago, Tyrese Haliburton carved the Knicks apart with a 32-point triple-double. But Game 5 was a different story. The Knicks made the necessary adjustments — swarming him on pick-and-rolls, cutting off his passing lanes, and throwing physical defenders at him all night.
The result? Just 8 points and 6 assists, his quietest game of the playoffs.
The Knicks’ intensity on defense showed from the jump. After surrendering 43 points in the first quarter of Game 4, they held Indiana to just 23 in the first and a mere 45 in the first half.
That’s championship-level defense — and it came just in time.
Madison Square Garden Comes Alive: “Knicks in 7!”
By the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the game was no longer in doubt. The Knicks were in full control. The fans, who had been thirsting for a taste of playoff glory since the days of Patrick Ewing, were on their feet — and MSG shook with chants of “Knicks in 7! Knicks in 7!”
The atmosphere was electric. This wasn’t just a Game 5 win. It was a cultural moment. The team, the city, the fans — they all believe.
New York hasn’t seen an Eastern Conference Finals run like this since 2000. Now, it’s on the brink of becoming historic.
Pacers’ Streak Ends as Pressure Builds for Game 6
Coming into Game 5, Indiana had won six straight road games, including the first two at MSG. They looked unbeatable. But the Knicks exposed cracks in their armor — especially when the shots stopped falling.
Indiana shot just 40.5% from the field, their lowest of the postseason. Bennedict Mathurin provided a spark off the bench with 23 points, but no one else could lift the load Haliburton left behind.
Now, the Pacers return home for a tense Game 6, with everything to lose and the Knicks charging hard behind them.
A Chance at History: Knicks Look to Join the Elite 14
Only 13 teams in NBA history have ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series. None have done it in the Conference Finals after dropping the first two games at home.
Can the Knicks become No. 14?
The energy, the belief, and the performance are all starting to line up. And if Brunson and Towns continue to play like this, anything is possible.
Looking Ahead: Game 6 in Indy — a Fight for Survival
Game 6 is set for Saturday night in Indianapolis, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Knicks know it. The Pacers feel it. And NBA fans around the world will be watching.
Will Indiana finally close the door on New York’s dream? Or will the Knicks force a winner-take-all Game 7 back at the Garden?
If Game 5 is any indication, the Knicks aren’t ready to go home. They’ve come too far, overcome too much, and now smell blood in the water.
Conclusion: Knicks Refuse to Die, and the City Believes Again
The Knicks have reminded the basketball world — and especially their fans — that heart, grit, and pride still matter in this game.
Jalen Brunson was brilliant. Karl-Anthony Towns was courageous. The defense was dominant. And Madison Square Garden? It became a fortress once again.
This isn’t just playoff basketball. This is a resurrection. The Knicks are back — and they’ve got unfinished business.
The Knicks’ victory in Game 5 wasn’t just a win. It was a declaration. And the fans in New York celebrated all night long – from MSG and Seventh Avenue up to Times Square: New York weas Knicks Town once again.
And now, with destiny hanging in the balance, the story continues.
