Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the historic rivals New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers takes center stage at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Knicks vs Pacers Game 2 Preview
Game 1 proved to be a series opener for the ages as the Pacers edged the Knicks in an overtime thriller that saw the visitors draw level at the end of regulation despite trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, teams that trailed by nine or more points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or OT in a playoff game were 0-1,414 since 1998 before Wednesday’s clash in the Big Apple.
Indiana continue to write history and is also the first team in the play-by-play era to force OT or win after trailing by at least nine in the last 60 seconds of a postseason game.
Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith cashed five threes in the final five minutes, the Knicks missed big free throws and Tyrese Haliburton extended the game with an incredible buzzer-beater that bounced high off the rim and dropped through the net.
Indiana improved to 6-0 in clutch games in the postseason and after being swept by the Boston Celtics at this stage last year, the Pacers are vowing not to fall short again with a statement win in enemy territory.
A clutch game is defined as one within five points in the last five minutes and the Pacers have scored an amazing 69 points on 43 clutch offensive possessions, a rate of 1.6 per possession.
Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, all five Pacers starters were averaging between 14.6 and 18.8 points per game, showcasing the well balanced and confident team basketball on display under head coach Rick Carlisle.
Indiana scored a mind-blowing 31 points on their final 13 possessions of regulation – Nesmith accounting for 20 – to stun the Knicks who by no means played a bad game.
Nesmith’s 30 points tied his career-high (regular season or playoffs) and his eight threes (on nine attempts) were the most he’s ever made on a game while guarding Knicks talisman Jalen Brunson.
Brunson tallied 43 and five assists, Karl Anthony-Towns chipped in with 35 and 12 rebounds alongside 16 each from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby but it simply wasn’t enough to surf the Pacers wave.
Indiana has only ever started 2-0 in a conference finals once in its previous nine trips – back in 2000 when the Pacers beat the Knicks in six before advancing to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
The Pacers are 5-1 on the road this postseason and don’t expect them to fall over lightly in this match-up.
WATCH: Indiana’s incredible comeback vs New York in Game 1
Knicks vs Pacers Game 2 Injury Report
New York Knicks Injuries
No injuries to report
Indiana Pacers injury report
F Isaiah Jackson (achilles; out for season)
What TV Channel Is Knicks Vs Pacers Game 2 On?
Game 2 of Knicks vs Pacers will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
