NEW YORK — In a win-or-go-home scenario at Madison Square Garden, Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson outperformed Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to stave off elimination and avoid an embarrassing five-game series loss. It’s a crucial win, as Brunson must replicate this success to help New York overcome a 3-2 series deficit.

Game Insights

New York decisively defeated Indiana 111-94 in Game 5, never relinquishing the lead and demonstrating top-tier defense. This was the first time this postseason that Indiana failed to score 100 points.

The contrasting performances of Brunson and Haliburton were evident. Brunson finished with 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on an impressive 12-of-18 shooting. Haliburton, in stark contrast, managed only 8 points and 6 assists, his lowest output in these playoffs.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle commented, “To start the game we didn’t have the right level of force, the right level of attitude necessary in this environment.”

Brunson’s composure set the stage early, scoring the first six points of the game and leading the Knicks to a comfortable lead.

Quotes from notable figures in the game:

• Karl-Anthony Towns lauded Brunson’s performance, stating, “He was cooking.”

Moving forward, Haliburton must respond effectively, stating, “I gotta do better, and I’ll be better in Game 6.” The stakes are high as the Knicks aim to break a postseason trend of failing to come back from a 3-1 deficit.