

In an Eastern Conference finals full of shocking comebacks, Game 4 almost featured another. Instead, Tyrese Haliburton put the finishing touches on what is being called one of the best performances in NBA postseason history, and now the Indiana Pacers are one win away from the NBA Finals.
Will the Pacers close it out Thursday in Manhattan, or will the New York Knicks get their first home win of the series to send things back to Indianapolis? We have picks from our staff, viewing info and a look at the odds for Game 5.
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How to watch Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks Game 5
- Venue: Madison Square Garden — New York
- Time: 8 p.m. ET, Thursday
- TV: TNT, truTV
- Streaming: Max
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
Pacers at Knicks Game 5
Pacers lead series 3-1
Series odds: Pacers -600, Knicks +450
Remember when Haliburton got labeled overrated by some of his peers? Perhaps he has turned that into fuel for his postseason run because he sure doesn’t look overrated right now.
His Game 4 gem featured 32 points on 11-for-23 shooting, a whopping 15 assists, a game-high 12 rebounds and, perhaps most impressively, no turnovers. It’s the first 30-point, 15-assist triple-double with no turnovers in the history of the NBA playoffs.
Even with all that, there was a sense of déjà vu late in Tuesday’s game. The Pacers led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks made a run to cut it to six. Of course they did. That’s how this series has gone.
The Knicks blew a 17-point lead in Game 1, leading Haliburton to evoke Reggie Miller’s infamous choke gesture in the Garden. The Pacers had a 10-point lead with less than three minutes left in Game 2, but it got cut to one before they closed it out. In Game 3, the Pacers saw a 20-point lead evaporate in a loss.
Seeing New York make a closing push was almost expected. Take nothing for granted with leads in this series. However, with Haliburton playing near-perfect basketball and Pascal Siakam dropping 30 points on 11-for-21 shooting, the Pacers had too much for the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson had 31 points on 19 field goal attempts, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds. The Knicks had solid offensive numbers (other than 17 turnovers), but the Pacers were just better.
New York’s split in Indianapolis kept the Knicks alive and sent the series back to Madison Square Garden, but there’s a daunting task still ahead. Teams leading a series 3-1 are 283-13 all-time in the NBA playoffs. The Knicks obviously aren’t dead, but they’re in intensive care.
Thursday’s Game 5 represents the necessary first step in a possible comeback, and the Knicks are favored to win. Towns was hobbled by the end of Tuesday’s game, but he still played 37 minutes. Coach Tom Thibodeau has been tinkering with how to play him and Mitchell Robinson, who had four fouls in 19 minutes in Game 4. If Towns is not 100 percent, that’s an obvious blow to the Knicks.
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The Pacers are seeking a first NBA Finals berth since 2000, their only appearance in franchise history. That year, Indiana beat the Knicks in six games in the Eastern Conference finals.
Expert picks
Betting/odds and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Haliburton: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
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