Brunson, Towns Lead Knicks Past Pacers in Game 5

Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds to help the New York Knicks stay alive in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

The Knicks now trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Saturday night.

Brunson set the tone early, dropping 14 points in the first quarter as the Knicks jumped out to a 23-13 lead and never trailed the rest of the way.

“We were just able to get stops early and we would convert,” Brunson told TNT. “We just found a way… We played to our standards. Give them credit for the way they played, but we played Knicks basketball tonight.”

Towns, who was a game-time decision due to a left knee injury, was dominant in the paint with a double-double by halftime and provided stability as New York built a 56-45 lead by the break.

New York pushed its lead to 72-52 in the third quarter, but the Pacers briefly rallied with a 12-2 run to trim the deficit to 10.

Brunson responded with a four-point play, sparking a 12-0 Knicks run capped by a Miles McBride jumper to make it 86-64 with 2:12 left in the third.

Tyrese Haliburton, who had 30 points, 15 assists, and 12 rebounds in Game 4, was held to just eight points on 2-of-7 shooting in a quiet outing that hurt Indiana’s rhythm.

“My brain was fried out here,” said Indiana’s Jack Draper of the Knicks’ energy, though he noted Brunson “played like a magician.”

New York’s physical defense limited Indiana to 40.5 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers—both series lows for the Pacers.

Josh Hart contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points off the bench, while Pascal Siakam had 15 and Obi Toppin added 11.

Indiana trailed by as much as 20 in the final quarter and never got closer than 12 after a final push early in the period.

Towns sealed the game with a driving layup at the 2:44 mark to stretch the lead to 106-90, prompting Indiana coach Rick Carlisle to empty his bench and rest his starters.

Game 6 in Indianapolis is a must-win for the Pacers to avoid a decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

The Knicks are seeking their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, while Indiana is eyeing a return for the first time since 2000.