AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney reported that Jalen Brunson scored 32 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds, leading the New York Knicks to a 111-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers on May 29, 2025, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. The win cuts Indiana’s series lead to 3-2, keeping the Knicks’ hopes alive as they head to Game 6 in Indianapolis on Saturday, per ESPN.com updates.
Dominant Performance
Brunson, who set a franchise record with his 21st postseason game of 30+ points as a Knick, started strong with 14 points in the first quarter, while Towns, despite a bruised left knee, contributed 12 in the second. The Knicks held the Pacers to 45 first-half points and limited Tyrese Haliburton to eight points and six assists, a sharp decline from his Game 4 triple-double (32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds), per NBA.com stats.
Series Outlook
The Knicks, trailing 3-2, aim to become the 14th NBA team to overcome a 3-1 deficit, a feat never achieved in the conference finals after losing the first two home games, per Wikipedia. Indiana, shooting just 40.5% and led by Bennedict Mathurin’s 23 points off the bench, will look to close out the series at home. The winner faces the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, per AP reports on the Western Conference outcome.
Posted on: 30 May 2025, 09:30 CET
