‘A Tale of 2 Comebacks’ : NYK Gives INDY a Dose of Their Own Medicine in Game 3

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Now the title of the 2024-2025 NBA Playoffs Comeback King is still up for grabs.

When the Indiana Pacers did it ridiculously by chopping down nine-point leads in under a minute thrice in this postseason, people forgot how the New York Knicks also had their version of storming back despite trailing by double digits in their series against the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics.

In retrospect, the Knicks erased Detroit’s 11-point lead during their Game 4 encounter and embarrassed the Celtics in Games 1 and 2 after trailing by 20 points, and in Game 4 where they erased Boston’s 14-point cushion to go up 3-1 in the series.

After flying to Indiana while holding a disappointing 0-2 series deficit, New York was still optimistic that it could pull off the comeback. However, questions quickly surrounded their playoffs fate after the home team built a massive 20-point lead.

Fun fact, the Pacers were 6-0 in the ongoing playoffs when leading after the third quarter.

But now, you can make that 6-1.

Despite the odds, New York achieved an insane come-from-behind win in Game 3, 106-100, and just trimmed their Eastern Conference Finals series deficit to 1-2, on May 26, 2025.

Everything that the New York fan base didn’t wish for was on full display in Game 3. Jalen Brunson plagued with foul trouble, the Pacers had a blazing start, and a disappointing first-half performance.

With almost every checklist still yet to receive a green mark, the Knicks just continued to work their way into the game until magic happened in the next 26 minutes of the ball game.

The Pacers bagged their 20-point lead at the three-minute mark of the second, but New York kept on answering with huge buckets, including huge threes from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges that trimmed their deficit to just 13 points heading into the second half.

In the final 55 seconds of the third, Deuce McBride officially put the Knicks within reach after cashing in a three-pointer to make it an eight-point affair, 70-78.

Indiana still held a 10-point advantage at the start of the fourth and was in deep trouble when Brunson was a foul away from reaching the limit.

But when the mouse is away? The KAT will play.

Without Brunson holding the fort, Karl Anthony-Towns took matters into his own hands after going into a frenzy, dropping 20 big points in the final quarter alone that helped the Knicks resurrect their chances of taking the dub.

Towns kicked off the fourth with a long three-pointer and followed it up with back-to-back layups and a dime to Dorell Wright that pulled the Knicks to just three points, 79-82.

From that point, the Knicks just unlocked their comeback potential and began to smell blood as they rode on the hot hands of Towns who continued to torch the Pacers from the inside and the outside.

Indiana’s worst nightmare came at the 8:02 mark when the Knicks retook the lead, courtesy of a thunderous slam by Towns who was also fouled by Andrew Nembhard.

Everything seemed like a time-lapse. The Knicks are now back in front after digging a 20-foot hole. What made the comeback more special was how head coach Tom Thibodeau rotated his players. During that big run, Brunson was not in the court, and the effort was shared by plenty of wards who showed their hunger to win in Game 3.

Brunson, who was fielded back in the most crucial stretch of the fourth, did his thing and closed out the game with a cold-blooded floater, backstopped by Josh Hart’s clutch free throws to seal the deal.

Towns capped off his majestic outing with a dominant double-double of 24 points, 15 rebounds, and an assist, while Brunson, who despite playing in limited minutes, still managed to uncork 23 markers.

Hart, who came off the bench for the first time in this playoffs, showed why he is the heart and soul of the New York franchise after stuffing eight points, 10 boards, four assists, and a steal.

Can the Pacers recover after that demoralizing loss? Or will the Knicks capitalize on that huge Game 3 win to put their imprints in this thrilling series?