Against all odds, the New York Knicks protected their home court in tonight’s Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. First, a heated battle in the opening quarter ended with the game tied at 36 points after twelve minutes. As the Knicks lost their energy in the second quarter, they were trailing by ten points at the half. However, despite being undermanned and ten points down, Jalen Brunson’s squad mustered the energy. Bouncing back in the second half, they eventually won 130-121. And after the game, Donte DiVincenzo spilled the secret to the Knicks’ epic comeback in the second half.

“We were in the locker room like ‘we’re gonna win this game still,’” he noted. Regardless of the disadvantage, DiVincenzo claimed that the team still believed they could win the game if they played the way they had all season. Defending better, getting more rebounds, and not letting the Pacers get second-chance points, the Knicks managed to do exactly what Donte said in the second half, while also playing their regular offense instead of going out of their way.

A major reason the Knicks’ struggled in the second quarter was because their best player, Jalen Brunson, missed the entire quarter due to a sore foot. However, when DiVincenzo made the call, his Villanova teammate answered. Returning in the second half and claiming the title of ‘The King of the Fourth, Brunson took over in the final quarter for the third straight game. He scored fourteen of his twenty-nine points in the last twelve minutes. With restored energy, the Knicks regained control of the game and defeated the Pacers to take a two-game lead in the series.

Stephen Curry inspired Donte DiVincenzo’s career-defining move

While Brunson did his thing on the court, Donte DiVincenzo also put up his third consecutive twenty-plus-point game tonight. Scoring 28 points, eighteen of which came from beyond the arc, Donte helped the Knicks get a win. And that has been the story for the Knicks since Donte arrived in New York last summer. Already a decent player and an NBA champion with the Bucks before moving to New York, Donte has taken a giant leap since joining the Knicks. Producing nearly sixteen points on a nightly basis and shooting a career-high forty percent from the three-point line, he quickly turned into a fan favorite.

And it might never have happened if it wasn’t for his former teammate Stephen Curry. Although Donte played with the Warriors for only one season, he found a true friend and mentor in Steph and went to him for advice about his future last summer. Making Donte realize that he would be a great fit in New York and could excel with his former Villanova buddies, Steph’s advice reinforced what Donte was already thinking. “It was on my mind. You know, I’m a grown man. I make my own decisions, but to have somebody of that stature to almost voice the opinion that I’m thinking. It makes you feel good about the decision you’re making, rather than if he says something way out of left field and you kind of start to question things,” he mentioned.

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Soon after his conversation with Steph, Donte signed a four-year, $50 million deal with the Knicks. And that move has not only defined Donte’s career but also helped the Knicks achieve immense success, which might lead them to a championship in a few weeks.