Game Rewind: Pacers 121, Knicks 89 (Game 4)

Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Pacers and the Knicks were full of drama and intrigue, with the two rivals exchanging runs throughout each night and each contest coming down to the final minute.

Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was a vastly different story, though Pacers fans likely won't have any complaint about the end result.

The Pacers dominated New York from start to finish on Sunday. They led by 23 barely 10 minutes into Game 4, pushed the lead to 30 before halftime, and stretched the margin as high as 43 points in the second half, ultimately cruising to a 121-89 victory.

With the win, the Pacers evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Both teams held serve on their respective home courts this week, with the Knicks taking Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Wednesday before the Pacers responded with wins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday and Sunday.

The series will shift to New York once again for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton led six Pacers in double figures in the victory, tallying 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 27 minutes, going 8-for-15 from the field and 4-for-10 from 3-point range. Backup T.J. McConnell was just as good off the bench, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in 21 minutes.

As a team, Indiana shot 56.8 percent from the field and went 14-for-31 (45.2 percent) from 3-point range. On the other end, they limited New York to just 33.7 percent shooting and just 7-for-37 (18.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

"We just handled business from start to finish and I think that’s part of the maturation of this group that we’ve talked about all year," Haliburton said. "Now we have to truthfully flush that one. Obviously watch film tomorrow, but take the good with the good, learn from the bad and be ready to go for Game 5 because that’s a big game."

The Pacers got off to a fast start from the jump on Sunday, as Haliburton knocked down his first two 3-point attempts and got a breakaway dunk to propel Indiana to a 14-4 lead.

The margin continued to grow from there as Myles Turner threw in a high-arcing three to beat the shot clock then scored on the next possession on a putback layup.

McConnell got into the paint the next two times down the floor, converting two layups, one of them a three-point play. He set up Obi Toppin for a jumper on the Pacers' next possession before Ben Sheppard and Toppin knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers.

The building was buzzing by that point, but the noise reached an even higher decibel after McConnell connected with Toppin for an alley-oop dunk that pushed Indiana's lead to 34-11 with 1:34 remaining in the opening frame.

It was 34-14 at the end of the first quarter, as the Pacers went 14-for-23 (60.9 percent from the field) and 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range, while the Knicks were just 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) and 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

Pascal Siakam scored six points early in the second quarter to helped the Blue & Gold continue to grow the lead, then drove and kicked back to a wide-open McConnell, who swished a three from the top of the arc that put Indiana up 47-19 with 8:06 to play in the first half.

The Knicks reeled off six straight points from there, but that would be the closest they would get the remainder of the half, as the Pacers kept their feet on the gas. Haliburton scored Indiana's last five points of the half, including a step-back three that pushed the lead to 30 for the first time before Alec Burks hit two free throws in the final second that made it a 28-point margin at the break.

The Pacers weren't content to sit on that lead in the second half, instead coming out of the locker room intent on thwarting any Knicks hope for a comeback.

The Blue & Gold scored the first four points of the third quarter to push the lead to 32 points and threes later in the frame from Haliburton, Turner, and McConnell stretched the margin to 35, 36, and then 37 points.

McConnell and Toppin got the crowd on its feet once again with a little over three minutes to go in the third quarter, connecting on another alley-oop, with Toppin finishing this one with a two-hand reverse slam.

Aaron Nesmith's jumper with 22.4 seconds to play in the quarter pushed the lead to 38 at 101-63.

"The mentality was to play like we were down 20," Turner said of how the Pacers never let the Knicks back in the game. "In the NBA, it’s very easy for a 20-point lead to dissipate as quickly as it does. We never wanted to take the foot off the gas."

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No starters saw the court for either team in the fourth quarter. Toppin's breakaway dunk on the opening possession pushed their lead to 40 for the first time. The only drama in the final frame was what the final margin would be.

Siakam finished with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting for Indiana, while Toppin also tallied 14 points off the bench. Turner added 13 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, going 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Third-year big man Isaiah Jackson finished with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Burks had a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Knicks. All-Star guard Jalen Brunson scored 18 points, but struggled from the field, going 6-for-17 overall and 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Miles McBride tallied 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists off the bench for New York.

The Pacers and Knicks will meet again on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 5, which will take place at 8:00 PM ET on air nationally on TNT.

“The last two games we did our job," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did what we needed to do. We protected home court…We’re a team that’s only halfway to our goal. We’ve got to understand that and have a great level of humility for what’s coming on Tuesday night and be braced for it."

The Pacers held New York to 89 points in Game 4, the lowest point total for a Pacers opponent in any game this season. The previous low was 90 points in a 109-90 win over the Lakers on March 29. It was the first time Indiana held an opponent under 90 points since they limited the Heat to 87 on Dec. 12, 2022.

The Pacers outscored the Knicks 60-40 in points in the paint and by another 21 points from 3-point range.

Haliburton reached 20 points for the third straight game. Over the last three games of the series, he is averaging 29.7 points and is 17-for-37 (45.9 percent) from 3-point range.

McConnell recorded his second double-double in his last three games. He had 10 points and 12 assists off the bench in Game 2.

After scoring just 14 bench points in Game 3, the Pacers' reserves scored 57 points in Game 4, including 27 in the first half.

Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo had scored 25 or more points in each of the first three games of the series, including 35 in Game 3 when he went 7-for-11 from 3-point range. The Pacers limited him to just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting (1-of-6 from beyond the arc) on Sunday.

Knicks forward Josh Hart had averaged 17.6 points and 15.3 rebounds over Games 1-3, but tallied only two points on 1-of-6 shooting and three boards in Game 4.

Despite the margin, the Knicks shot significantly more free throws than Indiana. New York went 22-for-31 (71 percent) from the charity stripe, while the Pacers were just 7-for-8 (87.5 percent).

“We had better concentration and focus. Our habits were better. Early we got some good opportunities in transition and they missed some shots. So we got a good start and were able to sustain a lot of good things throughout. But there’s such a long way to go here.” -Carlisle on the key to the win

“I thought it was a good win. It doesn’t really matter how it happened. It’s 2-2. It counts as one. I thought our focus was good from the beginning. Playing with our pace and intensity is something that we need to do." -Siakam on the victory

“Our disposition was great. Obviously we had a game plan (and went) out there and executed it. But I think it was a commitment by all of us tonight to go out there and really (defend) by committee. Guarding guys like Brunson, it’s not a one-man job. He’s a spectacular player, but we had to make sure we all come together and chip in.” -Turner on the team defense

“DiVincenzo is a great player. He’s had monster games throughout the playoffs, throughout the season. In the first game, we didn’t treat him like he was a great player. The urgency to take away forget about shots, but touches (was missing). The guy makes a lot of things happen. We did better there tonight.” -Carlisle on the defense on DiVincenzo

"Every time we’re at home, the energy that they bring to the game and how excited they are kind of fuels us to go out and play our best. When we have their support, we always play better. I like our chances here in front of this crowd. We just want to continue to perform well." -Siakam on the Pacers’ success at home so far in the playoffs

“Even when Myles isn’t scoring at some kind of clip that may at times be expected, he gives us a physical presence that we need, especially against New York. New York is a very physical team with (Isaiah) Hartenstein and (Precious) Achiuwa out there to start the game. He held his ground very well at the start of this game tonight. He did get three blocks. The chase-down block he had at the end of the last game made all the difference here.” -Carlisle on Myles Turner’s defensive importance

“T.J.’s one of our leaders. He’s really taken it upon himself to lead that second unit. He took full ownership for what happened last game. It’s very rare that that does happen. But I think he came out with a great spirit tonight and led those guys.” -Turner on T.J. McConnell

"Just his energy. When he checks in, there’s not many people in the NBA better at doing what he does, and that’s bringing energy off the bench...His energy is just contagious and everybody kind of flows off of that." –Haliburton on McConnell

The Pacers 32-point win was the third-largest playoff victory in franchise history. They had a 34-point win over Cleveland in Game 6 in the first round in 2018 and a 33-point victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals.

The Pacers travel to New York to take on the Knicks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET.

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17. The time for Game 6 is TBD. Find Tickets >>