May 9 (UPI) — Jalen Brunson overcame an early injury and scored 29 points to lead the New York Knicks to a comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The Knicks guard injured his foot in the first quarter and missed the second, but scored 24 in the second half of the 130-121 victory Wednesday in New York.
“I just knew I had to get my mind in the right place to figure out how I was going to attack the second half,” Brunson told reporters.
The Knicks will now head to Indianapolis, where they will take on the Pacers in Game 3 of the best-of-seven game series Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Game 4 will be Sunday in Indianapolis.
The Knicks outshot the Pacers 57% to 51.6% in Game 2. They also held a 44-34 edge in rebounding. The game featured 11 lead changes and was tied eight times. The Pacers edged the Knicks 46-12 in points off the bench and led by as many as a dozen points.
Brunson, who entered the night with four-consecutive performances of at least 40 points, helped the Knicks take an 11-point lead about eight minutes into the first quarter of Game 2. He then left the game about 30 seconds later and missed the remainder of the quarter and entirety of the second.
“All season long, no matter what is thrown at him, injury bug or whatever, he always bounces back,” Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “We knew the severity of the game and everything. So we knew. Everybody had confidence he was coming back.”
The Pacers took advantage of Brunson’s injury absence, immediately going on a 11-0 run to tie the score. Both teams totaled 36 points in the first quarter.
Guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Obi Toppin scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Pacers through the first 12 minutes. The Pacers then outscored the Knicks 37-27 in the second to take a 73-63 lead at halftime.
But Brunson’s third-quarter return gave the Knicks a major boost.
They reeled off a 14-0 run early in the second half to snatch back the lead. Brunson totaled 10 points, while DiVincenzo scored a dozen in the third quarter. The Knicks outshot the Pacers 66.7% to 33.3% in the frame to carry a 99-91 lead into the fourth.
The Pacers, who shot 60% down the stretch, cut the deficit to one point about four minutes into the final frame, but never closed their last deficit.
“We are just sticking together, no matter what,” said Brunson, who scored 14 over the final 12 minutes to seal the victory. “No matter what the situation is, no matter what’s thrown at us, no matter what is a disadvantage for us, we are going to stick together.
“That’s the thing we always harp on for each other.”
The All-Star guard made 11 of 18 attempts on the night. He also chipped in five assists and three steals. DiVincenzo scored 28 points on 10 of 20 shooting. He made 6 of 12 attempts from 3-point range.
Knicks forward O.G. Anunoby logged 28 points. Forward Josh Hart chipped in 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Center Isaiah Hartenstein logged 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Haliburton paced the Pacers with 34 points, nine assists and six steals. He made 7 of 11 3-point attempts. Guard T.J. McConnell totaled 10 points and 12 assists off the Pacers bench. Toppin scored another 20 points off the Pacers bench.
Game 3 will tip off at 7 p.m. EDT Friday in Indianapolis. With a Game 3 victory, they could sweep the series Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Game 5, if necessary, will be Tuesday in New York. The series could extend to Sunday.
Indy Eleven got the win over Detroit FC 2-1 on March 21 in Indianapolis. Check out photos froms Walt Thomas below.
For Indy Eleven tickets, visit indyeleven.com/tickets.
Multimedia Reporter Noral Parham compiled this gallery. Contact him at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral.
For more Indy Eleven coverage, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (WISH) — WISH-TV Sports Director Anthony Calhoun is in San Jose covering Purdue basketball in the NCAA Tournament.
Purdue will play Texas in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. If it wins that game, it will play the winner of Arizona and Arkansas in the Elite 8, with a chance to advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Tune in to WISH-TV for live coverage starting on Wednesday in San Jose.
The Boilermakers are in the Sweet 16 for the third straight season. Tipoff against the Longhorns is scheduled for 7:10 ET on Thursday.
See the Wienermobiles and crew at the Wienie 500 at IMS for Carb Day
We grilled the crew of these Wienermobiles and even got a tour as they relished in the chance to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A pair of 2000s alternative rock favorites are slated to kick off the festivities ringing in the world’s largest single-day sporting event.
Counting Crows will headline the 2026 Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on May 22, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced. Fellow rockers Switchfoot will open the show at the IMS, kicking off the weekend festivities for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Carb Day admission tickets start at $50 and are on sale at ims.com. Purchase admits entry to the traditional Carb Day proceedings, including the final practice for drivers and the annual Pit Stop Competition, as well as the show later in the evening.
Pit wristbands, which allow for closer access to the concert, start at $40. A wristband, however does not allow for admission to the concert on its own. Purchase of a Carb Day admission ticket is required to attend the show. Carb Day admission and pit wristband combo packages are available starting at $90.
Buy tickets for the Indy 500
Counting Crows rose to prominence in the 1990s with hits like “Mr. Jones” off their smash 1993 debut album “August and Everything After.” They maintained notoriety into the millennium with a string of successful releases punctuated by the 2004 single “Accidentally in Love,” which remains a collective favorite off the “Shrek 2” soundtrack.
Switchfoot, the Crows’ alternative compatriots, enjoyed similar success in the early 2000s. “Meant To Live” and a re-record of popular single “Dare You to Move” emerged as enduring tracks off the group’s 2004 album “The Beautiful Letdown.”
The two bands join past headliners like last year’s double bill of All American Rejects and Bret Michaels, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rick Springfield, Journey and many others in the concert’s 34-year history. The 2026 event will mark both groups’ inaugural Carb Day performance.
Counting Crows and Switchfoot join popular EDM artist Zedd as the confirmed headliners for this year’s Indy 500 entertainment. The German producer will lead up the crop of DJs scheduled for the Snake Pit on race day, May 24.
The annual Legends Day Concert, traditionally featuring country artists, has not yet announced its headliner. The show is set for May 23 at Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park.
Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.
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