We’re only at halftime, but this one’s already been wilder than a Knicks parade on 7th Avenue. Game 4 between the Pacers and Knicks is playing out like a Quentin Tarantino script: fast, chaotic, and filled with characters making questionable decisions. And right now, Rick Carlisle’s early challenge on a Jalen Brunson–Obi Toppin play is looking like the moment that might come back to bite Indiana in the, well, you know.

Let’s set the scene. About halfway through the first quarter, Carlisle tossed his coach’s challenge into the fire like it was expired milk. The Pacers believed Brunson hooked Obi Toppin on a drive, but on replay? Toppin had more hands on Brunson than Scott Foster has on a whistle in crunch time.

So what happens? Challenge denied. Carlisle loses his only lifeline for the rest of the game, and Jalen Brunson gets the and-one. NBA folks like Tim Bontemps, Caitlin Cooper, Scott Agness, and Chris Mannix immediately labeled it a complete waste. And they were right — it was a worse gamble than the 2018 Cavs trading Kyrie for that Brooklyn pick.

This isn’t just a game — it’s a full-blown point parade. At the half, it’s Pacers 69, Knicks 64, and both teams are shooting like they downloaded Ray Allen’s jumper in MyCareer. Tyrese Haliburton has been ridiculous. He started off with a 15-5-6 first quarter (a stat line only LeBron James has ever posted in playoff history for a single quarter), and he hasn’t slowed down much. He’s still draining threes like it’s a shoot around. You almost wonder if he sees defenders at all or just empty space and a green light.

On the other side, Brunson is out here playing with the confidence of 2006 Dwyane Wade in the Finals. His step-backs, pull-ups, and off-the-glass finishes are turning defenders into cones. By halftime, he’s got 20+ points, still playing like a guy who has a personal vendetta against the state of Indiana.

Jalen Brunson: Fast Start, Fastbreak, Fast Drama

The first quarter felt like both teams had mainlined espresso shots. Indiana dropped 43 points in 12 minutes — more than their entire second half in Game 3. They were running the floor like the 2013 Denver Nuggets. Aaron Nesmith — ankle scare be damned — looked like he got a power-up from the home crowd. A couple threes, a highlight dunk, and suddenly Gainbridge Fieldhouse turned into a mosh pit.

Siakam? Smooth as ever with 11 first-quarter points. And then there’s Indiana’s 12-2 advantage in fastbreak points in Q1. The Pacers were pushing the pace like it was 7 Seconds or Less Phoenix Suns all over again.

It’s Game 4, but Karl-Anthony Towns is stuck in a time loop. Just four minutes into the first, he picked up his second foul fighting through a Nesmith screen — an obvious call that left Knicks fans sighing like, “Not again…” Thibs pulled him instantly, probably whispering, “You’re lucky we won Game 3.”

Towns had just 2 points in the first quarter. Not ideal. When Jalen Brunson took a breather early in the second, you’d expect the Knicks to start wobbling like 2001 Iverson without Mutombo. But they rallied. A 9-2 New York run tied the game at 51-51 midway through the second quarter. OG Anunoby and Delon Wright came up clutch — OG drove hard to the rim, and Wright hit a corner three off a slick KAT double.

Even Landry Shamet, who took a nasty spill, bounced back and stayed in—gritty stuff. This game has all the ingredients of a playoff classic. Drama, pace, stars showing out, and coaching gambles that’ll be dissected on Twitter for the next 48 hours.

If the second half is even half as wild as the first? Buckle up. We’re witnessing a battle. And so far… Jalen Brunson is winning it with both hands tied behind his back — and maybe Obi Toppin’s hand still on him.