Jalen Brunson was spectacular — as always.
Karl-Anthony Towns battled through a left knee contusion and made an impact as well.
Facing elimination, the New York Knicks leaned on their superstars to keep their season alive — and they did not disappoint.
Brunson erupted for 32 points, Towns posted a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double, and the Knicks lived to fight another day after denying the Indiana Pacers in Game 5, 111-94, cutting the East Finals deficit to 3-2, Friday (PH time), May 30.
Knicks extend the series in the Garden behind 32 points from Jalen Brunson 🗽
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 30, 2025
The ECF is heading back to Indiana 👀 pic.twitter.com/J6CBcNgrsC
The 2025 Clutch Player of the Year took over in the third quarter, just as Towns was forced to the bench midway through the period with foul trouble.
Brunson scored 15 of the Knicks’ 34 points in the frame, powering New York to a commanding 86-64 lead with just under two minutes left.
JALEN BRUNSON 4-PT PLAY 🎯🎯
— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2025
HE'S GOT 15 PTS IN THE 3Q!!!
Knicks leading big in Game 5 on TNT 🔥
Indiana trimmed the deficit to 96-84 early in the fourth quarter, but New York answered with an 8-2 blitz to push the lead back to 18 and never looked back.
Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby chipped in a combined 23 markers as Josh Hart, who came off the bench for the third-straight game, added 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
BRUNSON ?? BRIDGES ?? HART
— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2025
That Nova Knicks connection in Game 5 of the East Finals!!!
Game 6 is set for Sunday, June 1 (PH time) in Indianapolis, where the Knicks will look to force a do-or-die Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden.
Meanwhile, Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points off the bench, while Pascal Siakam added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin go back-to-back from beyond the arc in the final minutes of the first half.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 30, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton, coming off a historic triple-double in Game 4, was held to just eight points and six assists.
Indiana failed to reach the 100-point mark for the first time this postseason and committed a playoff-high 19 turnovers. The Pacers were also outrebounded, 45-40, and outscored in the paint, 60-34, by the more physical Knicks.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]
