Knicks Could Make History Against Pacers After Game 5 Win, Says Analyst

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated May 30, 2025 1:07 PM ET

The New York Knicks bounced back in Game 5 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals and beat the Indiana Pacers 111-94 on Thursday, thanks to a solid collective performance.

The Pacers took a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4, putting the Knicks in a very complex position, as only 13 teams have been able to come back from that deficit in NBA history.

Jalen Brunson's 32 points and Karl-Anthony Towns' 24 points led the way for the New Yorkers, who held on to their advantage in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to secure the second win of the series and extend it for at least one more game.

They are returning to Indiana for Game 6, with the pressure mounting on the Pacers. Another Knicks win would tie the series and force a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

Understandably, the Pacers want to avoid this scenario at any cost, but a veteran analyst doesn't see the Knicks coming back and winning this series as an unlikely scenario.

During Friday's edition of FOX Sports' "The Facility," Rachel Nichols and the panel of Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy and James Jones discussed the Knicks' chances to pull this comeback off and advance to the NBA Finals.

The veteran said that they set the blueprint in Game 5, and if they can replicate that performance, the Pacers would be in trouble.

"Absolutely have a chance," Nichols said. "They could do this again. It is not like Jalen Brunson will have to have a 50-point game; it's not like there has to be some last-minute bouncing.

"Jalen Brunson, on the other side, did not have to become Hakeem Olajuwon. He just has to stop being a black hole on defense. As his teammate Josh Hart said, he had to guard his yard, and guess what? He did that. The Knicks, in general, played a great defensive game."

Contrary to the Western Conference finals, this matchup has given fans many hard-fought games. The rest of the series should follow that script, especially if New York can live another day and return home for the do-or-die game.

Game 6 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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