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Wheat Hotchkiss

Friday, May 17 at 8:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Pacers know what they have to do Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They must win Game 6 against the Knicks to extend their season and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday in New York, where the winner would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Indiana is facing elimination for the first time this postseason after dropping Game 5 on Tuesday night in New York, 121-91. The Knicks ran away from the Pacers at Madison Square Garden, outhustling and outplaying the Blue & Gold. Head coach Rick Carlisle said his young team learned "a hard lesson" from Tuesday's performance.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

The Knicks had 29 more shot attempts than Indiana thanks to their dominance on the boards in Game 5. New York outrebounded the Pacers 53-29 overall and 20-5 on the offensive glass, outscoring Indiana 62-36 in points in the paint and 26-9 in second-chance points. Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 offensive rebounds alone.

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson had another impressive performance, scoring 44 points and dishing out seven assists, but the Pacers aided New York's offense by committing 18 turnovers (and only forcing nine).

The good news for the Pacers is that the series is shifting back to Indianapolis, where the Blue & Gold are undefeated in the playoffs and beat the Knicks twice last season. In fact, Game 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday was pretty much a mirror image of Game 5, as the Pacers led 34-14 after the first quarter and stretched the margin as high as 43 points in a 121-89 victory.

After the two teams traded blowout victories, it would not be surprising if Game 6 is more tightly contested like the first three games of the series. The Knicks are trying to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, while the Pacers are hoping to extend their season and have a chance to move on to the third round for the first time in a decade.

The Knicks made some counters in Game 5, as head coach Tom Thibodeau elected to start 6-1 guard Miles McBride instead of 6-8 forward Precious Achiuwa. The smaller McBride took on the primary assignment of guarding Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, picking him up full court for most of the night. Haliburton finished with 13 points and five assists on nine shot attempts, his lowest scoring total since he tallied just six points in Game 1.

Haliburton responded well after Game 1, averaging 29.7 points over his next three games. The 24-year-old — who is playing in his first playoffs — vowed to be better in Game 6.

All season long, the Pacers have played some of their best basketball coming off a disappointing result. How Haliburton and his teammates respond to adversity this time will determine whether or not their season will continue.

Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Aaron Nesmith, F - Pascal Siakam, C - Myles Turner

Knicks: G - Jalen Brunson, G - Miles McBride, F - Donte DiVincenzo, F - Josh Hart, C - Isaiah Hartenstein

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (lower back spasms/sacral contusion/right ankle sprain), Bennedict Mathurin - out (right shoulder labral tear)

Knicks: OG Anunoby - out (left hamstring strain), Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 14, 2024: The Knicks won every quarter en route to a 121-91 win in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson scored a series-high 44 points on 18-of-35 shooting and dished out seven assists to lead the Knicks to victory. Josh Hart added 18 points and 11 rebounds, Alec Burks scored 18 off the bench, and Miles McBride scored 17 points.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 22 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Myles Turner added 16 points while going 4-for-7 from 3-point range.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17 at 8:30 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Knicks (Game 6)

Jordan Morey

Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

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Game Recap: Knicks 121, Pacers 91

After five games, neither the New York Knicks nor Indiana Pacers have given up a home game in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Dominating the rebounding margin 53-29, forcing 18 turnovers, and getting 44 points from star guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks (3-2) posted a 121-91 Game 5 win over the Pacers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

The series now turns back to Indianapolis, as the Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. If a Game 7 is necessary, the Knicks will host the final matchup on Sunday afternoon.PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

The Knicks led by 15 points at halftime before using a 19-0 run in the third quarter – holding the Pacers scoreless for almost seven minutes – to take a 21-point lead into the final frame. The Pacers never got closer than 12 points off the lead in the fourth quarter.

New York outscored Indiana 62-36 in the paint, 26-9 in second-chance points, and 27-21 in bench points. Both teams made 12 3-pointers.

From the field overall, the Knicks finished 47-for-101 and the Pacers went 31-for-72.

Brunson finished 18-for-35 (2-for-6 from 3-point range) from the field en route to his series-high 44 points. After Brunson, Josh Hart and Alec Burks each had 18 points, and Miles McBride added 17. In addition, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein pulled down 17 rebounds for the Knicks, including 12 offensive boards which tied Charles Oakley’s Knicks playoff record for offensive rebounds in a game.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points, Myles Turner had 16, and Tyrese Haliburton finished with 13 points and five assists.

“If we don’t get stops and rebounds, our game is not going to look good,” Pacers head coach Rick Carilsle said. “We’re not going to be able to get the ball out, all of our playmakers aren't going to have opportunities to get the ball and attack. If you take the ball out of the net, particularly after free throws and offensive rebounds, you’re climbing an uphill battle. They turned their pressure up tonight and our pressure was virtually nonexistent. We failed on many levels. We’ve got to make some serious adjustments for Game 6 and get out of here and get home.”

The Knicks led the Pacers 69-54 at halftime. Brunson scored 28 points to start the game, and New York outrebounded Indiana 27-11 (12-2 offensive) in the first half while the Blue & Gold had nine turnovers.

In the first quarter, the Knicks shot 57 percent as a team and pulled down seven offensive rebounds to build a 38-32 lead over the Pacers. Indiana shot 55 percent in the first quarter but had five turnovers in the frame.

All five Pacers starters scored in successive order to start the game, and the Blue & Gold made six of their first 10 shots to lead 16-9 four minutes after the tip.

The teams then traded baskets until a 15-3 New York run, during which McBride scored a trio of baskets from close range, gave the Knicks a 31-25 advantage with 2:10 on the clock.

Out of a timeout, Obi Toppin ended the Knicks' scoring spree by draining a pair of free throws before Aaron Nesmith hit two hit freebies of his own and Siakam made a three for the Blue & Gold to pull within a possession. Burks hit a 3-pointer for the Knicks with 11 seconds on the clock to put his team back up by six.

New York strung together 8-1 and 8-2 runs through the first four minutes of the second quarter, as Brunson caught fire by scoring 12 points during the stretch, to extend the Knicks' lead to 54-40 and force an Indiana timeout.

Out of the huddle, the Blue & Gold answered with a 7-2 run of their own, where Andrew Nembhard made his second 3-pointer of the night, but the Knicks then scored 11 unanswered points to go up 65-47.

In the final two minutes of the first half, the Pacers got a layup from Haliburton, an and-one from Toppin, and free throws by Siakam to cut it to 15 points going into the break. Game 5 was the first time the Knicks have led at halftime in any game during the series.

In the first two minutes of the third quarter, Turner made three straight 3-pointers to cut it to 70-63 with 9:56 on the clock, prompting a Knicks timeout. The Pacers then didn’t record a basket for almost seven minutes..

New York responded to Turner’s hot shooting with a 17-0 string, featuring five points each by McBride and Brunson, to extend the Knicks' lead to 91-64 with 3:13 left in the third quarter.

A 3-pointer by Pacers rookie Ben Sheppard stopped the bleeding for the visitors with 2:56 left in the frame, but the teams went basket-for-basket the remainder of the period as the Pacers trailed 96-75 heading into the fourth quarter.

“When things are going bad, we just have to do a better job of coming better together as a group,” Haliburton said. “I felt we were a little frenzied today. Obviously the Garden is a great environment and they have a great fanbase, but we just have to do a better job of coming together as a group. … That’s starts with me as a leader.”

Indiana opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, led by six points from Siakam, but the Knicks responded with a 10-2 string to go up 106-86 before coasting to the win.

Jalen Brunson has scored 40 points or more five times this postseason. Tuesday was his second time scoring at least 40 against the Pacers (43 points in Game 1).

Indiana shot 17-for-22 from the free throw line and New York went 15-for-19.

The Pacers had 18 turnovers and the Knicks finished with nine.

There was one lead change and one tie in the game.

In his first postseason start, Miles McBride had 17 points for the Knicks.

The Knicks took 101 total shots in the game and the Pacers put up 72 shots.

indiana-pacers-postgame-media-availability-at-new-york-knicks-game-5-may-14-2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability at New York Knicks (Game 5) | May 14, 2024

“Very poor effort, obviously. Lost every quarter. Got annihilated on loose balls and rebounds. Gave up 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots. We all own it, but very embarrassing. Very embarrassing and a hard lesson.” – Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on the loss

“It was box-outs for sure. It’s just a cold-blooded desire to go get the ball, to make contact with somebody and go get the ball.  That’s what it is and we did not do it, and so we paid a heavy price.” – Carlisle on the rebounding

“There’s no excuses, but all the guys on our roster, I believe it’s the first time they’ve been in a Game 5 tied 2-2 going on the road. You learn a lot in those situations very quickly. For us, give up 38 in the first quarter, and lose by nine in the second, and lose by six in the third, and then get wiped out in the fourth. This is a different circumstance, and as a playoff series progresses it’s going to get harder and harder.” - Carlisle on the loss

“A smaller lineup, intuitively, you would think would give us a better chance to do well on the boards. But their overall level of fight in this game was superior to what ours was and that’s the bottom line. “ – Carlisle on New York’s lineup change

“Bad situations, poor decisions. This is how things can snowball when you’re not doing hte little things well. … There are a lot of things that are connected to a lot of things.“ – Carlisle on the 18  turnovers

“I think just the momentum shifted. They killed us on the glass better than they probably have any game all series. We just didn’t match that intensity level all night. …. We just have to do a better job of eliminating second-chance opportunities. I think the first half they shot 15 more shots than us - how do you win a game when teams are doing that, you know? We turned the ball over at a high rate today which is something we haven’t done all playoffs. We will watch some film and be ready to respond in Game 6.“ – Haliburton on the game unraveling after the first quarter

“I think a lot of our turnovers were self-inflicted. I do think that I gotta watch the film to really see where we can be better there. Kudos to them - they had a good night and are a good defensive team. They did what they’re supposed to do, and now it’s time for us to go home and do what we’re supposed to do. “ – Haliburton on the turnovers

“I just gotta do a better job of being aggressive. I think if you go back to Game 1, I said the same thing after Game 1. It’s more on me than on what anyone else is doing. I will fix that next game.“ – Haliburton on his 13 points

Indiana was outrebounded 53-29 in the game, including 20-5 on the offensive glass.&nbsp;

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17. The time for Game 6 is TBD. Find Tickets >>

rewind-pacers-knicks-240514

Game Rewind: Pacers 91, Knicks 121  (Game 5)

The "Gold Out" is back for Game 6 of Eastern Conference Semifinals. When the Pacers welcome the New York Knicks to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17 for Game 6 of their best-of-seven series, all fans in attendance will receive a gold t-shirt.

The shirt, which was officially unveiled on social media on Tuesday, features a partial outline of the Pacers logo with the "IND Playoff Basketball" inscribed within the basketball at the center of the Pacers "P".

The Pacers defeated the Knicks last weekend in their two previous home games in the series, coming away with a dramatic 111-106 victory in Game 3 before rolling to a 121-89 win in Game 4. The Knicks responded by taking Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Pacers must win on Friday to extend the series and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday in New York. The good news for Pacers fans is Indiana is 5-0 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the playoffs and has won 10 straight home games overall including the regular season.

The 2024 Pacers Playoffs are presented by KeyBank, Starry, and Kroger. For Playoff tickets, news, videos, and more please visit Pacers.com/Playoffs.

pacers-to-gold-out-gainbridge-fieldhouse-for-game-6-vs-new-york-on-friday-may-17

Pacers to Gold Out Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 6 vs New York on Friday, May 17

At times, the Indiana Pacers' 2023-2024 season has resembled a rollercoaster ride.

During stretches of the regular season, the youthful group would beat a title contender one night before losing to a bottom-of-the-table team the next. Other weeks, the Blue & Gold would string together several wins and look like a top team in the Eastern Conference.

From leading the league in offense and making it to the In-Season Tournament Championship, to improving a bottom-tier defense and navigating fundamental roster changes, the Blue & Gold have ridden the waves of their current campaign together on the fly.

Despite inconsistencies, one thing has remained the same for this Pacers group: after each game, they would put the final result in the rearview mirror and keep their eyes ahead to the next matchup.

Chemistry and maturity take time and effort in the NBA, and experience has repeatedly proven vital to postseason success. And in an era where any team can erase a 15-point lead in the blink of an eye, it's never been more important to know how to win in various ways.

In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers took another step in the team's maturation process.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL:&nbsp;Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

Indiana led at halftime in the first three games of their series against the New York Knicks, but saw those leads disappear in all those games. Only in Game 3 did the Pacers weather the storm, coming back from down nine points in the fourth quarter to pull off a dramatic win.

What happened in Game 4 was the culmination of the current group playing 10 total playoff games together this spring.

In Game 4, the Pacers smothered the Knicks from tip to final buzzer, posting a 121-89 home-court win to even the series at 2-2.

Unlike almost every other playoff game this year – including in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks – the Pacers never gave their opponent a chance to come back, as they led the Knicks by 20 after the first quarter, 28 at halftime, and 38 going into the fourth quarter.

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Game Recap: Pacers 121, Knicks 89

If you were to talk to Pacers players and coaches after the win, however, you'd hardly know they dominated from start to finish. Postgame celebrations ended when the team broke the huddle in the locker room.

Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is playing in his first-ever playoffs, perhaps described the team’s current mentality best: "Now we have to, truthfully, flush that one."

"It just feels good to get a win, but we have to understand that at the end of the day, all we did is our job and win two games at home," Haliburton said. "We understand the magnitude of Game 5, and we'll be prepared for that."

Like Haliburton, veteran backup point guard T.J. McConnell has been one of the key voices in helping the team stay focused, and his mentality has spilled over to his teammates.

"It's obviously great to take care of home court. Enjoy it now, but as soon as we leave this building, we've got to flush it and move on and show maturity on that end," McConnell said. "Because what we're walking into at (Madison Square Garden) is going to be a hellacious crowd and they play really well in front of them because it's a great fanbase. So we have to really be ready and locked in."

Part of the reason the Pacers traded for starting forward Pascal Siakam in the winter was for his playoff experience. Siakam won a title with Toronto in 2019, and has played on teams that have come back from down 0-2 in a series.

During the first round series agianst the Bucks, Siakam preached to his teammates to not get too high or too low, and he's maintained that in the semis. When the Pacers fell down 0-2, Siakam calm demeanor never wavered.

"It's 2-2. It counts as one," Siakam said of Game 4. "I thought our focus was good from the beginning. Playing with our pace and intensity is something that we need to do."

If this Pacers team advances to the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be the first time the Blue & Gold have overcome a 0-2 deficit in a seven-game series in franchise playoff history. Since 1994, this will also be the sixth time the Knicks and Pacers go at least six games in the last seven playoff matchups.

With the current Pacers group, they’re confident they can get the job done against the Knicks.

"The last two games we did our job," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did what we needed to do. We protected home court…We're a team that's only halfway to our goal. We've got to understand that and have a great level of humility for what's coming on Tuesday night and be braced for it."

After playing the Knicks in Game 5 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, the Pacers will host Game 6 on Friday. If there's a Game 7, it will take place in New York on Sunday.

indiana-pacers-postgame-media-availability-vs-new-york-knicks-game-4-may-12-2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability vs. New York Knicks (Game 4) | May 12, 2024

pacers-not-getting-too-high-despite-complete-performance-in-game-4

Pacers Not Getting Too High Despite Complete Performance in Game 4

Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Pacers and the Knicks were full of drama and intrigue, with the two rivals exchanging runs throughout each night and each contest coming down to the final minute.

Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was a vastly different story, though Pacers fans likely won't have any complaint about the end result.

The Pacers dominated New York from start to finish on Sunday. They led by 23 barely 10 minutes into Game 4, pushed the lead to 30 before halftime, and stretched the margin as high as 43 points in the second half, ultimately cruising to a 121-89 victory.

With the win, the Pacers evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Both teams held serve on their respective home courts this week, with the Knicks taking Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Wednesday before the Pacers responded with wins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday and Sunday.

The series will shift to New York once again for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton led six Pacers in double figures in the victory, tallying 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 27 minutes, going 8-for-15 from the field and 4-for-10 from 3-point range. Backup T.J. McConnell was just as good off the bench, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in 21 minutes.

As a team, Indiana shot 56.8 percent from the field and went 14-for-31 (45.2 percent) from 3-point range. On the other end, they limited New York to just 33.7 percent shooting and just 7-for-37 (18.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

"We just handled business from start to finish and I think that’s part of the maturation of this group that we’ve talked about all year," Haliburton said. "Now we have to truthfully flush that one. Obviously watch film tomorrow, but take the good with the good, learn from the bad and be ready to go for Game 5 because that’s a big game."

The Pacers got off to a fast start from the jump on Sunday, as Haliburton knocked down his first two 3-point attempts and got a breakaway dunk to propel Indiana to a 14-4 lead.

The margin continued to grow from there as Myles Turner threw in a high-arcing three to beat the shot clock then scored on the next possession on a putback layup.

McConnell got into the paint the next two times down the floor, converting two layups, one of them a three-point play. He set up Obi Toppin for a jumper on the Pacers' next possession before Ben Sheppard and Toppin knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers.

The building was buzzing by that point, but the noise reached an even higher decibel after McConnell connected with Toppin for an alley-oop dunk that pushed Indiana's lead to 34-11 with 1:34 remaining in the opening frame.

It was 34-14 at the end of the first quarter, as the Pacers went 14-for-23 (60.9 percent from the field) and 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range, while the Knicks were just 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) and 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

Pascal Siakam scored six points early in the second quarter to helped the Blue & Gold continue to grow the lead, then drove and kicked back to a wide-open McConnell, who swished a three from the top of the arc that put Indiana up 47-19 with 8:06 to play in the first half.

The Knicks reeled off six straight points from there, but that would be the closest they would get the remainder of the half, as the Pacers kept their feet on the gas. Haliburton scored Indiana's last five points of the half, including a step-back three that pushed the lead to 30 for the first time before Alec Burks hit two free throws in the final second that made it a 28-point margin at the break.

The Pacers weren't content to sit on that lead in the second half, instead coming out of the locker room intent on thwarting any Knicks hope for a comeback.

The Blue & Gold scored the first four points of the third quarter to push the lead to 32 points and threes later in the frame from Haliburton, Turner, and McConnell stretched the margin to 35, 36, and then 37 points.

McConnell and Toppin got the crowd on its feet once again with a little over three minutes to go in the third quarter, connecting on another alley-oop, with Toppin finishing this one with a two-hand reverse slam.

Aaron Nesmith's jumper with 22.4 seconds to play in the quarter pushed the lead to 38 at 101-63.

"The mentality was to play like we were down 20," Turner said of how the Pacers never let the Knicks back in the game. "In the NBA, it’s very easy for a 20-point lead to dissipate as quickly as it does. We never wanted to take the foot off the gas."

RELATED: Pacers Not Getting Too High Despite Complete Performance in Game 4 >>

No starters saw the court for either team in the fourth quarter. Toppin's breakaway dunk on the opening possession pushed their lead to 40 for the first time. The only drama in the final frame was what the final margin would be.

Siakam finished with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting for Indiana, while Toppin also tallied 14 points off the bench. Turner added 13 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, going 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Third-year big man Isaiah Jackson finished with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Burks had a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Knicks. All-Star guard Jalen Brunson scored 18 points, but struggled from the field, going 6-for-17 overall and 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Miles McBride tallied 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists off the bench for New York.

The Pacers and Knicks will meet again on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 5, which will take place at 8:00 PM ET on air nationally on TNT.

“The last two games we did our job," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did what we needed to do. We protected home court…We’re a team that’s only halfway to our goal. We’ve got to understand that and have a great level of humility for what’s coming on Tuesday night and be braced for it."

The Pacers held New York to 89 points in Game 4, the lowest point total for a Pacers opponent in any game this season. The previous low was 90 points in a 109-90 win over the Lakers on March 29. It was the first time Indiana held an opponent under 90 points since they limited the Heat to 87 on Dec. 12, 2022.

The Pacers outscored the Knicks 60-40 in points in the paint and by another 21 points from 3-point range.

Haliburton reached 20 points for the third straight game. Over the last three games of the series, he is averaging 29.7 points and is 17-for-37 (45.9 percent) from 3-point range.

McConnell recorded his second double-double in his last three games. He had 10 points and 12 assists off the bench in Game 2.

After scoring just 14 bench points in Game 3, the Pacers' reserves scored 57 points in Game 4, including 27 in the first half.

Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo had scored 25 or more points in each of the first three games of the series, including 35 in Game 3 when he went 7-for-11 from 3-point range. The Pacers limited him to just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting (1-of-6 from beyond the arc) on Sunday.

Knicks forward Josh Hart had averaged 17.6 points and 15.3 rebounds over Games 1-3, but tallied only two points on 1-of-6 shooting and three boards in Game 4.

Despite the margin, the Knicks shot significantly more free throws than Indiana. New York went 22-for-31 (71 percent) from the charity stripe, while the Pacers were just 7-for-8 (87.5 percent).

“We had better concentration and focus. Our habits were better. Early we got some good opportunities in transition and they missed some shots. So we got a good start and were able to sustain a lot of good things throughout. But there’s such a long way to go here.” -Carlisle on the key to the win

“I thought it was a good win. It doesn’t really matter how it happened. It’s 2-2. It counts as one. I thought our focus was good from the beginning. Playing with our pace and intensity is something that we need to do." -Siakam on the victory

“Our disposition was great. Obviously we had a game plan (and went) out there and executed it. But I think it was a commitment by all of us tonight to go out there and really (defend) by committee. Guarding guys like Brunson, it’s not a one-man job. He’s a spectacular player, but we had to make sure we all come together and chip in.” -Turner on the team defense

“DiVincenzo is a great player. He’s had monster games throughout the playoffs, throughout the season. In the first game, we didn’t treat him like he was a great player. The urgency to take away forget about shots, but touches (was missing). The guy makes a lot of things happen. We did better there tonight.” -Carlisle on the defense on DiVincenzo

"Every time we’re at home, the energy that they bring to the game and how excited they are kind of fuels us to go out and play our best. When we have their support, we always play better. I like our chances here in front of this crowd. We just want to continue to perform well." -Siakam on the Pacers’ success at home so far in the playoffs

“Even when Myles isn’t scoring at some kind of clip that may at times be expected, he gives us a physical presence that we need, especially against New York. New York is a very physical team with (Isaiah) Hartenstein and (Precious) Achiuwa out there to start the game. He held his ground very well at the start of this game tonight. He did get three blocks. The chase-down block he had at the end of the last game made all the difference here.” -Carlisle on Myles Turner’s defensive importance

“T.J.’s one of our leaders. He’s really taken it upon himself to lead that second unit. He took full ownership for what happened last game. It’s very rare that that does happen. But I think he came out with a great spirit tonight and led those guys.” -Turner on T.J. McConnell

"Just his energy. When he checks in, there’s not many people in the NBA better at doing what he does, and that’s bringing energy off the bench...His energy is just contagious and everybody kind of flows off of that." –Haliburton on McConnell

The Pacers 32-point win was the third-largest playoff victory in franchise history. They had a 34-point win over Cleveland in Game 6 in the first round in 2018 and a 33-point victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals.

The Pacers travel to New York to take on the Knicks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 121, Knicks 89 (Game 4)

Whenever the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks meet in the playoffs, each game in the series has the potential to produce a moment that furthers the rivalry's lore.

Those core memories can be summed up in just a few words for Indiana fans, such as&nbsp; “eight points in nine seconds,” “the choke sign,” or “the Hibbert block.”

On Friday night in Indianapolis, two more highlights were added to the Pacers-Knicks postseason archives: the Myles Turner chase-down block and the Andrew Nembhard 31-footer.

Trailing 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pacers found themselves in a critical situation in the final minutes of Game 3.

After exchanging figurative and literal blows the entire game, the Pacers and Knicks were tied at 102 with 2:26 remaining after Knicks marathon man Josh Hart split free throws for the visitors.

On the ensuing possession, Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton saw one of his passes intercepted by Hart, who then barreled down the floor toward the opposite basket for a layup.

As Haliburton chased down the streaking Knick in an attempt to slow him down, the Pacers’ franchise all-time block leader, Turner, ascended from behind Hart and pinned the shot attempt against the backboard, immediately leading to a transition bucket on the other end from Nembhard.

In a way, Turner’s clutch play was an homage to a former Pacer who was wearing his jersey on the sidelines, as his block came right in front of Roy Hibbert, who famously swatted Carmelo Anthony to help the Pacers advance to the  Eastern Conference Finals in 2013. Hibbert revved the crowd up on Friday before sitting courtside.

While Turner’s block won’t likely lead many highlight reels, his teammates and coaches knew just how vital that vicious denial was to the game – and possibly the entire series.

“I think there are certain plays that happen over the course of a series, and the course of a game, that can really change things,” Haliburton said of the Turner block. “…I think we’re going to remember that play, because I feel like that changed the game. It was a game-changing moment. I think it just speaks to how hard he played and the tone he set today.”

The Knicks didn’t retake the lead after Nembhard’s layup, but the visitors tied the game once again with 42 seconds on the clock after sharpshooter Jalen Brunson buried an improbable step-back 3-pointer.

On the ensuing possession, however, Nembhard made an even more hellacious shot.

In a broken play, Haliburton dumped the ball to Nembhard on the left side of the 3-point arc with around six seconds on the shot clock. Nembhard then briefly fumbled the ball, stepped back and drained a trey over Brunson from 31 feet — with 18 seconds left — to put the Blue & Gold ahead for good, sending the gold-out crowd into a frenzy. It proved to be the game-winning shot in a 111-106 victory.

The bucket was just the second for Nembhard on the night, with the former resulting from the Turner block. While finishing 2-for-8 from the field, Nembhard wasn’t afraid to step up when his team needed it most, like when he hit the buzzer-beating 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers during his rookie season.

“He’s one of our toughest guys, mentally and physically,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Nembhard. “He’s really gained a love for these types of moments and playing in this kind of stage, this kind of level of competition…The clock was down. Sometimes in those situations, it frees you up even more. He just laced it.”

Reflecting on the game's final two minutes, Nembhard said most of it was a blur, and that he “was just in the moment.”

“Basketball’s a game of many mistakes,” Nembhard said. “It’s about being neutral, not getting high or low based off good or bad plays. Just trying to move on and understand the next play’s the most important.”

Like Carlisle, Nembhard’s teammates weren’t surprised he came up clutch when the team needed him to.

“Andrew does so many things for us as a team, just fights every possession, picking up full court. He’s so valuable for us,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. “Obviously, he wasn’t making shots or anything like that. But we have full trust in him, the work that he puts in. He’s a confident kid...Obviously it’s a tough shot, but if somebody’s going to make that, it’s going to be him. I just love everything about him and his focus.”

So far, each game in the Pacers-Knicks series has come down to the wire.

Indiana hasn’t lost a home game since March 18, compiling a 4-0 record in the playoffs. Buy your tickets today to help keep the home-court advantage going at Pacers.com/Playoffs.

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Friday, May 10 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

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Game Recap: Pacers 111, Knicks 106

Heroes are made in the playoffs. Pacers fans won't soon forget Andrew Nembhard's name after the second-year guard's heroics in Game 3 against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

With the game tied at 106 and under 40 seconds remaining, Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton took a three from right wing. He missed, but Aaron Nesmith was there to corral the rebound. They kicked the ball out to Haliburton who called for an isolation and dribbled down the shot clock.

But the Knicks sent a double-double Haliburton's way as the shot clock wound down, so he kicked to Nembhard on the left wing with just four seconds left on the shot clock.

The second-year guard was well beyond the 3-point line, but knew he had to hoist it quickly. Nembhard, who always carries himself with a calm demeanor, didn't panic.

Instead, he took a couple dribbles and stepped back from Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, hoisting a shot from 31 feet away. It swished through the net as the shot clock buzzer sounded with 16.4 seconds remaining, the decisive blow in a 111-106 Pacers win.

“I heard (Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau) yelling to double," Haliburton said. "I probably held the ball a little too long. I should have been more aggressive to attack the blitz. I put Drew in a kind of a bad situation. He just made an unbelievable shot, big shot. Just really stepped up to the moment when we needed him the most."

"When I got the ball, I didn’t really realize what the time was," Nembhard added. "…I just knew I had to get something off. Tried to create a little space and put it up."

It was a pivotal moment in a pivotal game, as the Pacers defended their home court after dropping the first two games of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinal series earlier this week at Madison Square Garden. Indiana will try to even the series when it hosts Game 4 on Monday.

The Pacers had led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but trailed by nine early in the fourth quarter before rallying. They rallied to tie the game at 99 by the seven-minute mark and took a one-point lead after Pascal Siakam hit one of two free throws with 5:42 remaining.

That's where the score remained until Brunson hit a step-back jumper over Aaron Nesmith to put the Knicks back in front with 3:53 to play.

On the other end, Siakam drove and drew a foul on Brunson, then hit both free throws to retake the lead. The two teams traded misses on their next two possessions before Josh Hart attacked the basket and drew a foul on Siakam (the fifth for the Pacers forward). Hart hit one of two shots at the foul line to tie the game at 102 with 2:26 left.

On the other end, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton got caught in mid-air with no one to pass to and turned the ball over. It looked like Hart was going to score on the other end, but Myles Turner came out of nowhere to block the shot off the backboard. That triggered a fastbreak where Nembhard converted a layup to put Indiana in front.

Haliburton was whistled for a foul on Brunson on the other end, but the Knicks' All-Star guard came up short on his first free throw before hitting the second. Siakam added a layup with 54.1 seconds left to put Indiana up 106-103, but Brunson answered with a three on the other end to tie the game once again with 42.4 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for Nembhard's heroics. After a timeout, Brunson missed a potential game-tying three and Nesmith sealed the win at the free throw line.

Four starters scored in double figures for the Pacers in the victory, with Haliburton leading the way with 35 points on 14-of-26 shooting, (6-of-16 from 3-point range) and seven assists.

Siakam scored 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Turner tallied 21 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Nesmith finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Nembhard was the only starter to not reach double figures, but hit the biggest shot of the night. He finished with five points (all in the final two minutes), five rebounds, and six assists. He started 0-for-6 from the field, but his last two shots, both of which gave Indiana the lead.

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