INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Nembhard Made a 31-foot tie-breaking 3-point shot. Tyrese Haliburton scored 35 points with 16 seconds left and the Indiana Pacers fought back in the fourth quarter to thump the short-handed New York Knicks 111-106 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday night. I broke it.
The Knicks continue to lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday in Indianapolis. New York led by nine points with 9:45 left and was in position to take a commanding 3-0 lead, but the Knicks were unable to hold on as Jalen Brunson was slowed down with a right foot injury. Ta.
While Nembhard scored just five points, all of which came in the final moments, Haliburton set his second consecutive playoff career high. Pascal Siakam had 26 points and seven rebounds, and Myles Turner had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 35 points on 7 of 11 3-pointers. Brunson had 26 points and six rebounds, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 42 seconds left, but could barely hit the rim with another 3-point try with 13 seconds left.
Alec Burks, who arrived after playing one minute in the postseason, scored 14 points in 21 minutes for the Knicks, who played without starting forward OG Anunoby. Anunoby traveled with the team to Indianapolis, but it is unclear whether he will be able to recover from his left hamstring injury and play in Sunday’s game.
The Knicks had already lost All-Star Julius Randle and key players Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson to season-ending injuries.
In both of the first two games, the Pacers trailed in the second half, but it was the Pacers who came back from behind. As New York fans chanted “Let’s Go Knicks” at Pacers arena, rising WNBA star Kaitlin Clark watches the game from her suite with boyfriend Connor McCaffrey and Indiana Fever teammates, Indiana is back this week I found the finishing kick that was missing at the beginning.
After Indiana trailed 98-89 with 9 minutes and 45 seconds left, Halliburton sparked a comeback.
He completed a three-point play and followed it up with a layup to cut the deficit to two points. Siakam made a 3-point play with 5:42 left to tie the score at 99, DiVincenzo got out on a fast break and Haliburton assisted on a spill. Siakam responded by making one of two free throws, giving Indiana a 100-99 lead at the 5:42 mark.
The teams exchanged the lead four more times, Brunson’s three made it 106-all.. Nembhard connected as the shot clock expired, giving the Pacers defense the stop it needed and Aaron Nesmith closing it out with two free throws.
