Indiana escapes New York with a 2-0 lead and just enough sass to make it personal
It’s official: the Pacers came to New York, swiped the Knicks’ snacks, turned off the lights, and left a Post-it note that said “2-0, see ya.”
In a gritty 114-109 Game 2 win at Madison Square Garden, Indiana didn’t just take the game — they took the vibes. The Knicks showed fight, but the Pacers showed finish, and now they’re headed back to Indiana with a two-game cushion and the confidence of a team that just found out they’re everyone’s least favorite matchup.
Tyrese Haliburton once again looked like a basketball wizard who accidentally got trapped in a 6’5″ frame. Floaters? Casually hit. Dimes? Gift-wrapped. Swagger? Overflowing.
Meanwhile, the Knicks kept it scrappy. Jalen Brunson did his best impersonation of a one-man army — but someone forgot to bring reinforcements. The Garden crowd was loud, but Indiana had earmuffs and ice in their veins.
New York’s bench? Missing like your Uber at 2 AM. Indiana’s? Bussin’. Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell played like they were trying to win an Emmy for “Most Annoying Defender.”
And can we talk about how the Knicks got caught watching paint dry on defense in the fourth quarter? Pacers ran pick-and-roll like it was 1997, and it still worked.
With Game 3 shifting to Indiana, the Knicks are now in “uh-oh” territory. It’s not over, but unless someone unplugs the Pacers’ energy source (or hides Haliburton’s shoes), this Eastern Conference final could turn into a speedrun.
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