There were a lot of doubts regarding the Knicks heading into tonight’s Pacers clash. Down 3-1, their backs were against the wall, as another loss would put an end to their season. Also, the odds were stacked against them because Jalen Brunson and Co. had not beaten the Indiana team at MSG in this series so far. But Tom Thibodeau’s squad was not ready to let their past determine the outcome of tonight’s game.

Realizing the stakes, the Knicks came out with a sense of urgency and desperation. From the moment the ball was tossed in the air, they looked in complete control. They outscored the Pacers 27-23 in the opening quarter and never looked back. In arguably their best performance of this series, the New York team blew out the visitors by 17 points and forced Game 6. And talking to TNT’s Allie LaForce, Jalen explained how exactly they were able to contain Indiana’s fast-paced offense, “I just feel like we just played better. We played better. We played to our standards and you gotta give them a lot of credit for the way they played. But we played Knicks basketball tonight.”

Yes, everything was clicking for the Knicks tonight. Of course, it all started with JB leading the charge, dropping 32 points on a highly efficient 12 of 18 shooting. Even his co-star Karl-Anthony Towns looked in elite form, finishing with a 24-point double-double. Following their dominant victory, Brunson revealed what changes led to the Knicks’ impressive turnaround, “We were just able to get stops early. Run. Were able to convert and we just found a way.”

But what truly set the Knicks apart was their defense. They completely shut down Indiana’s offense, limiting them to just 94 points, their only double-digit score in this series. Even Tyrese Haliburton, who was coming off a historic triple-double performance, struggled all night, finishing with just 8 points and six assists. Although the Knicks successfully protected home court tonight, Jalen knows that the job is far from over.

Jalen Brunson reveals mindset before Indiana trip as Knicks aim to force Game 7

Only thirteen teams in NBA playoffs history have won a series after going down 3-1. That’s a mere 4.4% success rate. So, even though the Knicks won tonight, they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas. The focus now will be to come out with the same energy on Saturday as they play the next game in Indiana, once again fighting to save their season.

Sure enough, Brunson understands the stakes and has his focus clear: “Just focused on one thing at a time. One quarter and then we go from there. Focus on the first quarter.” Of course, winning two more games against an elite team like the Pacers seems like a daunting task. So, the Knicks are taking things one step at a time.

Just like they did tonight, they need to start the game strong and take an early lead. And most importantly, hold on to it. That’s what got the job done tonight, as the Knicks never trailed in Game 5 and even shot up their lead to 22 points at one stage. But the big question is – can they do the same in enemy territory? If they wish to continue their season and force Game 7, they have no other option but to play with the same energy. Do you think Jalen Brunson and Co. can pull off the miraculous comeback and return to MSG for Game 7?