Knicks Stare Down Historic 0-2 Deficit After Painful Home Losses to Pacers
NEW YORK – A palpable sense of shock, frustration, and deep disappointment hung heavy in the air at Madison Square Garden on Friday night as the New York Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers 114-109 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This defeat, following their Game 1 overtime loss, leaves the Knicks in a precarious 0-2 hole in the best-of-seven series, a situation made even more dire by the fact that both losses occurred on their home court. This marks a first in Knicks franchise history: losing the first two games of a playoff series at home.
Just a week prior, the streets of midtown Manhattan buzzed with ecstatic Knicks fans, but now, that glorious excitement has been replaced by somber resignation. The path forward for New York is daunting; they must win four of the next five games to avoid an early summer vacation without a championship. The irony is not lost on anyone that the last team to successfully overcome a 0-2 series deficit was these very Indiana Pacers, who did so against the Knicks themselves in last year’s playoffs.
Despite the advantage of heading back home for the next two games, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was quick to caution his team against complacency. “There are a lot of traps here. You cannot assume going home is gonna be easier. It never is,” Carlisle stated, emphasizing that this is only “day 3 of 13 days,” a reminder of the long haul a seven-game series can be. “We are going to have to keep concentrating on our process, making it hard on them.” Pascal Siakam, a key player in Indiana’s Game 2 victory, echoed this sentiment, adding, “We haven’t done anything. We have so much work to do, and we haven’t even played our best.”
For Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, his postgame demeanor reflected a team searching for answers. He offered a typically stoic assessment of the situation: “We just didn’t find a way to win. We just have to make better plays, more winning plays.” The imperative for New York is clear: those “winning plays” must materialize, starting with Game 3 in Indianapolis on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, TNT).
While the Knicks’ defense showed some improvement after their Game 1 collapse, it was largely ineffective in containing Pascal Siakam. Siakam exploded for 11 points in the first quarter and finished with a remarkable 39 points, leading five Indiana starters in double figures. The Pacers’ road dominance continued, extending their playoff road winning streak to six games. Carlisle lauded Siakam’s performance, calling it a “special game” and highlighting his crucial role in getting the Pacers going and navigating difficult stretches in the first half.
The game remained tightly contested, tied at 81 points entering the fourth quarter. However, it was the Pacers who exhibited superior composure and execution down the stretch. A key moment came with nine minutes remaining when Siakam drilled a 3-pointer, extending Indiana’s lead to nine points. The Knicks valiantly fought back, narrowing the deficit to just one point, 110-109, with 14 seconds left, but once again, they failed to make the decisive “winning plays.”
The stat sheet showed Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each contributing 20 points for the Knicks. However, Towns’ limited playing time in the fourth quarter raised eyebrows. When questioned, Thibodeau explained that he opted for the group that was “in there [and] gave us a chance, searching for a way to win” when the team fell into a hole. This group notably included center Mitchell Robinson, who played 29 minutes (one more than Towns) off the bench, tallying six points and nine rebounds. Indiana strategically exploited Robinson’s struggles at the free-throw line (a career 52% shooter) by intentionally fouling him whenever he touched the ball.
Both Mikal Bridges and the Knicks’ leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, were visibly struggling to comprehend their team’s 0-2 predicament. The Knicks now face the daunting task of becoming only the 35th NBA team in history to overcome such a deficit. “I’m not sure,” Bridges confessed when asked about the team’s struggles, suggesting a need to “go back and watch and got to talk to each other off the jump, be physical off the jump. I think maybe we’re playing a little too soft beginning of halves. Just gotta finish games. That’s pretty much it.”
Brunson, who delivered an impressive performance with 36 points and 11 assists, maintained an unwavering belief in his team’s ability to mount a comeback. “Collectively, we have to get it together,” Brunson asserted. “We have been in a position where we were counted out and found a way to win. We are in the conference finals. Nothing else matters right now.” The Knicks’ mettle will be truly tested as they head to Indiana, needing to find a way to win four out of the next five games to keep their championship dreams alive.