Knicks Pull Off Stunning Game 3 Comeback to Trim Pacers’ Lead in Wild Eastern Conference Finals

In what’s shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Eastern Conference Finals in years, the New York Knicks flipped the script in Game 3, storming back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 and trim the series margin to 2-1.

Held at a raucous Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Pacers looked to cruise to a commanding 3-0 lead early. But after controlling most of the first half and pushing their lead to 20 late in the second quarter, they collapsed under the weight of poor shooting, injuries, and a monster fourth quarter from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns, who had only four points through the first three quarters, erupted for 20 in the fourth alone, finishing the night with 24 points and 15 rebounds. “Tonight was the kind of night where we had to have that never-say-die attitude,” he said postgame.

While Jalen Brunson struggled on both ends—shooting 6-for-18 and turning the ball over three times—New York coach Tom Thibodeau made a critical decision to sit his star guard for most of the fourth quarter, allowing Towns and the bench unit to take over the game.

“Unselfish guys,” Thibodeau said. “When someone gets going, you try to keep him going. It’s recognizing what’s working.”

The Knicks’ rally marks their third 20+ point comeback of this postseason, an NBA record. It also reverses the momentum after a crushing Game 1 loss where Indiana pulled off its own improbable comeback.

For the Pacers, the game was a litany of missed opportunities. They shot just 5-for-25 from beyond the arc—by far their worst shooting night of the playoffs—and lost key wing Aaron Nesmith to a painful ankle sprain. Despite Tyrese Haliburton leading the team with 20 points and orchestrating clever offensive sequences, Indiana couldn’t stop Towns down the stretch and failed to adapt defensively.

“Tony Bradley trying to guard KAT one-on-one in the fourth quarter just didn’t work,” one analyst observed, as New York repeatedly exploited Indiana’s mismatch-heavy rotations.

With both teams having blown large leads and made huge comebacks in this series, the tension only rises. Game 4, scheduled for Tuesday night, promises more twists, and perhaps more heroes—or heartbreak.

As one commentator put it: “Indiana and New York both feel like they’re one play away from the Finals—and one mistake away from collapse.”