Led by the captain #11 and the big kat Karl Anthony Towns the knicks successfully staved on elimination at MSG defeating the pacers 111-94. For the first time this series the knicks kept a lead over the pacers from beginning to end. Breaking down the quarterly box score:

First Quarter Knicks: 27 Pacers: 23 led by a 14 point barrage from Jalen Brunson.

Second Quarter: Knicks: 29 Pacers: 22  

Third Quarter: Knicks: 34 Pacers: 28 Things get a bit shaky, Towns is forced to sit out most of the quarter due to 3 personal fouls.

Fourth Quarter: Knicks: 21 Pacers: 21

The Pacers attempted 74 shots all game on roughly 40.5% shooting compared to the Knicks 89 shot attempts on 49.4% shooting, with a vast shot attempt disparity of 15. 

The Knicks did a good job of marginalizing a strong suit of the Pacers, fast break points. The Pacers would have 16 fast break points and the Knicks 15.

The Knicks also outrebounded the pacers 45 to 40. 

An important notable is the Knicks kept Pacer’s center piece Tyrese Haliburton relatively quiet, 4 points on 7 shot attempts, 4 points on 5 free throw attempts, an 8 point total for the game.

Pascal Siakam who torched the Knicks last visit to the garden in GM 2 was held to 15 points total.

I’ve been wanting to see more coast to coast play and pushing from Josh Hart we got that last night. The importance of KAT to remain on the floor and limit fouls cannot be understated and was seen in game 5 the pacers don’t have an answer for containing him especially when he is aggressive and driving in to the paint. Brunson has played his part this series no surprise over the post season, sinking 43 in GM 1, 36 in GM 2, 32 in GM 4 and 31 points in pivotal GM 5. The Knicks will travel to Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 6 in hopes of forcing a Game 7 Saturday night.