Halftime Rewind: Pacers 54, Knicks 69 (Game 5)

Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

Dominating the glass early and getting big production from their superstar scorer, the New York Knicks have the Indiana Pacers in a tough spot to start Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

At halftime, the Knicks lead the Pacers 69-54 at Madison Square Garden. Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has 28 points on 12-for-18 shooting to start the game, and New York has outrebounded 27-11 (12-2 offensive) thus far.

The Knicks – leading for the first time at halftime in a game this series – are shooting 54.7 percent as a team, while the Pacers have made 47.4 percent of their shots. 

After Brunson, Miles McBride and Josh Hart each have 12 points for the Knicks. Knicks 7-footer Isaiah Hartenstein has seven offensive rebounds, and Hart has eight overall boards at halftime.

Pascal Siakam tops the Pacers with 13 points, Andrew Nembhard has eight points, and Obi Toppin and Tyrese Haliburton each have seven points.

In the first quarter, the Knicks shot 57 percent as a team and pulled down seven offensive rebounds – with five coming from  Hartenstein – to build a 38-32 lead over the Pacers. Indiana shot 55 percent in the first quarter, with eight different recording points, but had five turnovers in the frame.

All five Pacers starters scored in successive order to start the game, and the Blue & Gold made six of their first 10 shots to lead 16-9 four minutes after the tip. 

The teams then traded baskets until a 15-3 New York run, during which McBride scored a trio of baskets from close range and Hart added five points, gave the Knicks a 31-25 advantage with 2:10 on the clock.

Out of a timeout, Toppin ended the Knicks’ scoring spree by draining a pair of free throws before Aaron Nesmith hit two hit freebies of his own, and Siakam made a three for the Blue & Gold to pull within a possession.

Alec Burks hit a 3-pointer for the Knicks with 11 seconds on the clock to put his team back up by six.

New York strung together 8-1 and 8-2 runs through the first four minutes of the second quarter, as Brunson caught fire by scoring 12 points during the stretch, to extend the Knicks lead to 54-40 and force an Indiana timeout.

Out of the huddle, the Blue & Gold answered with a 7-2 run of their own, where Nembhard made his second 3-pointer of the night, but the Knicks then scored 11 unanswered points to go up 65-47.

In the final two minutes, the Pacers got a layup from Haliburton, an and-one from Toppin, and free throws by Siakam to cut it to 15 points going into the break.

New York leads the points in the paint differential 38-22 thus far, and both teams have made six threes. Indiana has turned the ball over nine times.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: TNT – Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Chris Haynes (sideline reporter)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

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 >>