Knicks Get Huge News Ahead of Game 6

The New York Knicks have a clean bill of health heading into the middle stage of their potential three-pronged comeback.

New York's injury report for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers is once again blank as they'll go for an equalizing victory on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

That, of course, is welcome news for the Knicks, who were forced to wonder about the status of Karl-Anthony Towns leading into Game 5 of the series on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Towns, previously listed as questionable after making knee-on-knee contact with Aaron Nesmith in Game 4, appeared to have no issues with the ailment in the immediate follow-up, putting up 24 points and 13 rebounds in the 111-94 triumph. Towns did appear to have his finger bandaged in the immediate aftermath but that has mostly been par for the course since January.

The Knicks were also a game-best plus-26 on the scoreboard while Towns was on the floor, as he had his double-double secured before the first half let out.

"I looked at the game and it said Game 5, do or die. That was all I needed to see,” Towns said after Thursday's win, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “Shoutout to our medical staff. They gave me a chance to go out there and compete tonight. I’m glad I was able to. We put a lot of hours trying to get myself ready and I got a chance and God was good and I was able to go out there and play.”

There was good news and bad news for the rival Pacers, who will have their one and only chance to secure their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000 at home: while Nesmith, who briefly left Game 3 of the series with an ankle injury, does not appear, depth star Tony Bradley is listed as questionable with a hip flexor strain. Bradley's early exit from Game 5 allowed Jarace Walker to earn his first minutes of the ECF set against the Knicks.