The New York Knicks could have taken an important step towards a preliminary decision in the second round of the playoffs – but they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.
Since the beginning of March, the New York Knicks have not lost a game by more than eleven points – and have won most of them. Now, however, the team from the Big Apple has suffered one of the biggest defeats the traditional franchise has ever experienced in the post-season in Game 4 of the second play-off round against the Indiana Pacers.
The highest playoff defeat in franchise history dates back to 1991, when the Knicks led by Patrick Ewing went down to defeat against Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and lost Game 1 by 41 points. They now suffered an 89-121 debacle against the Pacers
The first quarter did not bode well for how the evening would go for the visitors. The period went 34:14 to Indiana, which shot just under 61 percent from the field. And the Knicks? They were a disastrous 6/23 from the field (26.1 percent) after twelve minutes and were unable to find their rhythm in offense. That was ultimately not to change for almost the entire game.
Trailing by as many as 43 points
The Pacers extended their lead to as many as 30 points in the second quarter and the Knicks did not mount a comeback after the break. In the third, the deficit was as high as 38 points and in the fourth – when all the starters on both teams had long since called it a day – it was as high as 43 points. The Knicks were actually threatened with a negative record.
In the end, the difference in points was “only” 32 points, meaning the series against the Pacers is tied and goes back to New York at 2:2. Game 5 will take place in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Things are sure to get tighter again then
Short worries about Hartenstein’s shoulder
After all, the Knicks won’t want to let this failure sit on them. Even Jalen Brunson, who has been strong so far, had his problems in offense (18 points on 6/17 from the field and 0/5 from the three-point line). The Knicks’ top scorer was Alec Burks with 20 points, but New York only hit a weak 33.7 percent of its field goal attempts over the entire game. Indiana shot 56.8 percent.
German big man Isaiah Hartenstein finished the game with four points and five rebounds. After a hard fall in the second quarter, he held his right shoulder with a contorted face, but was able to continue playing. Tyrese Haliburton was the best man on the Pacers’ side, the point guard scored 20 points, grabbed six rebounds and had five assists – but was only on court for 28 minutes. That was all that was required of him on this evening
