NEW YORK – Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns joined an elite company as the New York Knicks’ 1-2 punch extended their season by carrying them to a 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday (Friday Manila time) at the Madison Square Garden here.
Brunson paced the Knicks with 32 points while Towns added 24 as they became the first tandem to each score 20-plus points in the first five games of the conference finals since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2002. Before them, it was another legendary Los Angeles Lakers pair -- Jerry West and Elgin Baylor -- who achieved that scoring feat in 1966.
Towns, who was questionable to play after hurting his knee in a collision in Game 4, also pulled down 13 rebounds for his third straight double-double and fourth in the series.
“I looked at the game and it said Game 5,” Towns said of his decision to play through his knee injury.
“Do or die. That was pretty much all I needed to see.”
Brunson outdueled Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was limited to a series-low eight points and six assists after torching the Knicks with a historic triple-double two nights ago in Indiana. Haliburton became the first player in NBA history to log 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds with no turnover in the Pacers’ 130-121 Game 4 win.
“He played phenomenal in Game 4,” Brunson said of Haliburton.
“Our backs are against the wall, so I wasn’t thinking I needed to play better than him. I was just thinking I need to help my team win and that’s my mindset every time on the court.”
Brunson unloaded 12 points in the first quarter as the Knicks built a 23-13 lead. The Pacers cut it to 27-23, but the Knicks extended it once more in the second quarter, with Towns taking over with 12 points of his own.
They were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
The most lopsided win of the series showed the Knicks’ resiliency and a blueprint to beating the Pacers.
“It’s a testament to our team answering the call. I think tonight we did that,” Towns said.
“But we are going to have to be even better next game if we want our season to continue.”
Game 6 is on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time) in Indiana, where the Knicks will be the -3.5 underdogs at online sportsbook Bovada, which offers Bovada promo codes.
Haliburton, who was smiling after the loss, vowed to be better in Game 6.
“I’ll be better in Game 6,” Haliburton vowed.
“I’ll watch the film and learn from it, like I always try to do, and be prepared for Game 6.”
The Knicks have momentum on their side as they will try to force a Game 7 and bring the series back home, where their championship-starved fans will be waiting.