The New York Knicks secured a stunning 130-121 win in Game 2 of their Conference Semi-Final against the Indiana Pacers. Led by Jalen Brunson, the team rallied back from a ten-point deficit to beat the Pacers and take a 2-0 lead in the series. Brunson led the way with 29 points on 61.1% shooting from the field. He once again showed up for the team in the clutch as he sunk a floater inside the final minute to confirm the win for the Knicks.
The All-Star suffered an injury during the first quarter of the game. He was taken into the locker room and was questionable to return. However, he returned for the second half and scored 24 points there to turn things around. OG Anunoby and Donte DiVincenzo also had a stellar game as they added 28 points each. Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein also made their presence felt as the duo combined for 33 points on the night.
Indiana played aggressively and came with the intent of stealing a win on the road. Their star Tyrese Haliburton scored 34 points on 57.9% shooting from the field. He had 10 points in the fourth quarter, but his efforts were not enough to help the Pacers. With the series now heading to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indiana are 0-2 down and would need to do something special to overturn the comfortable lead the Knicks have.
New York Knicks have a lot of injury concerns
The New York Knicks’ season has not been an easy one as they have had a lot of injuries to their key players as the campaign has progressed. Julius Randle who was an All-Star, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and was ruled out after playing just 46 games. Mitchell Robinson was also absent for the majority of the season, he returned for the playoffs but suffered another injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely.
To add to their misery, OG Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter of Game 2 and his status for the remainder of the series also remains questionable. With three of their key frontcourt pieces out, it is difficult to imagine how the New York Knicks are going to survive.
However, the team have the next-man-up mentality and depth which will help them get through this difficult period. They currently have the 2-0 lead and riding on Jalen Brunson’s brilliance could topple the Indiana Pacers. If they can sweep their opponents, they could give Anunoby some extended period of rest and have his services back for the NBA Conference Finals.
