INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers’ approach after losing Game 3 to the Knicks was simple: give credit where it’s due, understand what went wrong, and fix it fast.
After winning the first two games in New York, the Pacers were hoping for a clean sweep. They were off to a strong start in Game 3, leading 55-35 late in the second quarter. Playing at home and full of energy, they moved the ball quickly, shot well, and had the Knicks struggling to keep up.
But then things changed. The Pacers slowed down. Instead of attacking freely, they started looking for ideal matchups and lost their rhythm. Their fast-paced identity faded, and they started playing more like their opponents.
“Our pace dropped. It felt like we were walking the ball up like the Knicks do,” said Pacers center Myles Turner on Monday, after the team reviewed video ahead of Game 4.
“We’ve made our name by playing fast. That’s our style. But we didn’t stick to it,” Turner added. “We were even slow getting the ball back in play.”
The Knicks took advantage and came back to win 106-100. They’ve become known for big comebacks—this was the third time in nine road games they’ve erased a 20-point deficit.
Karl-Anthony Towns had an amazing fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his 24 total points in that period—matching Indiana’s entire team. Meanwhile, Knicks star Jalen Brunson had foul trouble but the team adapted well without him.
Josh Hart, who didn’t start this game but came off the bench, played a huge role in the final quarter. He didn’t even take a shot in the last 12 minutes but was everywhere—rebounding, defending, and making smart plays. He finished the quarter with a +16 rating, helping seal the win.
Here’s a simplified and rewritten version of the paragraph in plain English:
The Knicks wouldn’t have had a chance if the Pacers hadn’t made some key mistakes — and they came at the worst times.
Earlier in the playoffs, the Pacers had shown great focus and toughness against the Bucks, Cavaliers, and even the Knicks by coming back in games. But on Sunday, they did the opposite. When it mattered most — at the end of each quarter — they struggled and lost control.
At the end of the second quarter, with 3:20 left, Indiana was outscored 10-3 and missed all five of their shots. This helped the Knicks cut the lead from 20 points to 13 by halftime — a big mental boost for New York.
In the last 3:11 of the third quarter, the Pacers had five turnovers and were outscored 7-2, shrinking their lead to just 10 points.
In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Indiana was only down by two with 3:11 to go, but they missed their last five shots and were outscored 10-6.
Coaches always stress the importance of finishing and starting quarters strong. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle is no different.
“It’s about executing,” Carlisle said. “We have to understand the situation. If there’s a chance for a quick two-for-one shot, we need to time it and make it work. Whatever the situation, we just need to do it better.”
He added that the team needs to improve in many areas: being more aggressive, moving the ball faster, playing better defense, and grabbing more rebounds.
Pacers guard T.J. McConnell agreed. He said it’s natural for teams to relax when they have a big lead instead of sticking to what was working.
“Our strength is our speed, depth, and staying energized,” McConnell said. “But we didn’t use that well. When we had a big lead, we got too comfortable. We can’t let that happen.”
In today’s NBA, teams are often taught to keep shooting 3-pointers even when they’re missing. That’s exactly what the Pacers did. Even though they were ninth in 3-point shooting during the season, they only made 3 out of 13 attempts in the first half.
Did that poor shooting make them try something different—like driving to the basket, drawing fouls, or scoring closer to the rim? Not really. They took 12 more threes in the second half and only made two.
Pacers player Myles Turner said, “For me, I never think about stopping. If I get a good shot, I take it. I tell my teammates to do the same.”
That’s okay—just keep doing the same thing. Just don’t be surprised when the outcome doesn’t change.
