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.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A woman is in critical condition after what Indianapolis Metropolitan Police are now calling an assault at a far East side apartment complex.
IMPD says officers were called just before 2:00 a.m. Monday to a unit at the English Village Apartments at English Avenue and South Mitchner Avenue.
An initial email from the police department said that a person had been shot. But a public information officer on the scene said officers found a woman suffering from “trauma” and would not describe what investigators believe was the weapon used. IMPD Capt. Rob Rider did not give a reason for withholding the information, but said that investigators “have an idea of what happened.”
Capt. Rider says a resident at another building in the apartment complex called 911 after a child ran to their residence and told the neighbor “they killed my mom.”
Rider says the woman was in critical condition when taken to a hospital but would not elaborate further on her injuries. “I’m not going to release that information right now. I just can tell you she is suffering from trauma is how we’ll describe it, and she’s in critical condition. (The) child was unharmed, (and) no one else was injured.”
Police did not release any information about a possible suspect nor what may have led to the attack.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Kountry Kitchen, a beloved Indianapolis restaurant, will serve more than 3,000 free meals to the community on Christmas Day as part of its annual outreach program. This initiative, started in 2008, continues to grow with the support of local partners.
Cynthia Wright-Wilson, the owner of Kountry Kitchen, emphasized the restaurant’s commitment to giving back, stating, “We just wanted to give back to the community because the community has been so good to Country Kitchen through thick and thin.” The outreach program began with a goal to feed 500 people and has dramatically increased, providing 2,300 meals in 2011 and more than 3,000 in 2016 in partnership with organizations like Toys for Tots.
The Christmas outreach began in 2008 when Cynthia and her husband, Isaac, aimed to feed 500 people. With the help of friends and volunteers, they doubled their goal, serving 1,200 meals on that first occasion. Volunteers worked tirelessly, with a remarkable 21-hour preparation period leading up to the event.
In 2016, Toys for Tots collaborated with Kountry Kitchen, enhancing the outreach by not only providing meals but also distributing toys to children in need. This partnership allowed the restaurant to continue expanding its efforts each year, reinforcing the importance of community assistance during the holiday season.
Cynthia describes the mission as family-oriented and inclusive, stating, “It’s about family.” The outreach not only serves meals but also provides essential winter items like hats and gloves for families in need.
During this year’s event, Kountry Kitchen will serve traditional holiday dishes including fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and desserts sponsored by local businesses. Patrick, an active volunteer and family member, expressed the excitement of seeing families receiving toys and meals: “Seeing those kids walk away with the toys was so exciting, you know.”
To participate in this community outreach, individuals can volunteer their time, request a meal, or make financial donations. Cynthia encourages community involvement, mentioning, “In order to volunteer, receive food, or donate, you can go to countrykitchenindy.com, go to the events tab and you’ll see three different forms.”
This year, Kountry Kitchen expects to serve more than 3,000 meals on Christmas Day, continuing its tradition of community service. Volunteers are welcome to join the effort and donations are being accepted to support the outreach.
For more information and details, visit Kountry Kitchen website.
The Wildcats mounted a late comeback attempt after trailing for double digits for parts of the second half, but Butler (9-3, 1-1 Big East) held on for a narrow 61-58 win over Northwestern (7-5, 0-2 B1G).
Northwestern was without its lead scorer Nick Martinelli, who suffered a concussion. With its worst offensive output of the season, the ‘Cats clearly missed Martinelli’s stabilizing presence on the offensive end.
Butler clung to a healthy multi-possession lead for much of the game, leading by as much as eleven during parts of the second half. Though Northwestern battled down the stretch, Butler could cling to its narrow lead, as the ‘Cats missed multiple game-tying three-point looks in the game’s final minutes.
Reid led the ‘Cats offensively with 14 points and six assists, shooting 5-for-13 from the field. Without Martinelli, Page struggled to get going for much of the afternoon, finishing with just seven points and three rebounds, well off his usual numbers. For the Bulldogs, it was Michael Ajayi who gave Butler an edge in the paint on both ends of the floor. Ajayi finished with 19 points, 20 rebounds and 2 blocks, leading Butler in each statistical category. Jaime Kaiser also provided major contributions for the Bulldog offense, totaling 14 points before leaving the game with an injury.
Both teams struggled from the field, with the ‘Cats shooting 35.9% and the Bulldogs being no better at 37.9%. However, the difference in the game came from rebounding and three-point shooting. Butler outrebounded the ‘Cats 41 to 35 and managed to make three more shots from behind the arc, as Northwestern’s struggles from deep continued with lackluster 4-for-23 shooting splits.
After Butler won the opening tip, it was a defensive slugfest, as the teams combined to go 0-for-9 from the field in the game’s opening three minutes. After nine-straight scoreless possessions, Reid opened the scoring for the Wildcats, connecting on a pull-up jump shot.
However, Kaiser immediately responded for Butler, connecting on a spot-up three-pointer to make the score 3-2 as the game entered its first media timeout at 15:37. With Northwestern 1-for-6 from the field, and Butler 1-for-7, the defenses dominated the game’s opening four minutes, causing shooting struggles in both offenses.
Out of the timeout, Butler started the scoring, as Clayton allowed Kaiser to scorch him on a drive to the basket. A possession later, Ajayi found his way to the cupt for the Bulldogs, extending the Butler scoring run to 7-0 over the game’s last three minutes.
Reid finally broke the scoring drought for the Wildcats, knocking down two free throws at the charity stripe, before K.J. Windham knocked down a midrange jumper to bring the score to 7-6.
Despite trailing, encouraging was the ‘Cats’ increased defensive intensity. The Northwestern defense has struggled in recent games, ranking ninth in the Big Ten in points per game (71.0) and 102nd in the nation per KenPom.com. The ‘Cats’ defensive effort kept the ‘Cats in the game in the game’s early going, allowing for Max Green’s three to tie the game at 9-9 right before the second media timeout at 11:03.
Building upon his reputation as a streaky scorer, Green found his way to the basket out of the timeout to give the ‘Cats an 11-9 lead.
Over the next three minutes, the teams continued to trade punches, as Singleton and Tyler Kropp got involved for Northwestern. However, Evan Haywood and Kaiser got hot for Butler. Haywood scored six-straight points for Butler before Kaiser converted on a layup and a three, creating a 20-15 Bulldog lead at the 7:37 mark.
Trailing by five, Collins got Page involved offensively, as the junior transfer got open off a pick-and-roll, slamming home a dunk off an elbow feed from Reid. On the other end, Yame Butler responded with the Bulldogs’ fourth made three-pointer of the game. Though neither team was hot from beyond the arc in the first half, Butler’s four made threes provided the Bulldogs a sizable scoring advantage over Northwestern’s 2-for-11 shooting from deep.
After a Kropp free-throw brought the score to 23-20 Butler at 5:16, scoring subsided for the next two and a half minutes before a Jones dunk and an Ajayi layup put the Bulldogs up by seven.
Butler led 29-23 at halftime. Shooting 32.1% from the field in the first half, the ‘Cats’ 23 points were their lowest scoring mark in a single half this period. However, Butler shot just 35.5% from the field and surrendered eight turnovers to the NU defense, failing to mount a meaningful lead despite out-rebounding the ‘Cats 23 to 14.
For Northwestern, Reid led the scoring for the ‘Cats with six points, while Butler’s Kaiser led all scorers with 10 points and two threes. Ajayi came close to a first-half double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Coming out of the break, scoring mimicked the beginning of the first half, as neither team was able to put points on the board for 90 seconds. Ciaravino eventually opened the scoring, splashing a jumper for the ‘Cats.
After going 0-for-6 from deep in the opening period, Finley Bizjack, Butler’s best three-point shooter, finally connected on a three-point shot. Layups from Kaiser and Azavier Robinson quickly followed, forcing a Collins timeout with Butler’s lead having grown to eleven.
Scoring accelerated over the next few minutes, as Butler maintained a comfortable double-digit lead. Singleton scored four points inside for the ‘Cats, as Ajayi splashed two midrange jumpers for four points of his own.
Collins criticized his team’s defensive effort at the 13:52 media timeout, and his team positively responded, allowing just five Butler points over the next five minutes. Additionally, increased offensive tempo helped the ‘Cats attack the paint, with Reid and Ciaravino picking up big and-one buckets.
Northwestern continued to dig defensively, bringing the score to 52-46 by holding Butler to zero field goals over nearly five minutes. Butler’s Kaiser, who led the Bulldogs with 14 points and left the game due to injury with just under nine minutes to play, contributed to Butler’s stagnant offensive stretch.
The Bulldog sharp shooter Bizjack finally broke the field goal drought with his second three-pointer of the game at 6:30. Clayton’s three and a driving layup from Green provided a quick response for the ‘Cats, however, keeping Northwestern within two possessions with just five minutes to play.
After a big stop coming out of a Butler timeout, Reid continued to be the backbone of the Northwestern offense, stepping up once again with a strong right-handed layup. The basket cut the Butler lead to 55-53, and two Oliogu-Elabor free throws later, a Page-and-one hook shot made the score 57-56 with just under two minutes remaining.
Singleton got a good look from three, which would’ve given the ‘Cats a lead, but instead he missed back iron. Ajayi scored on the other end for the Bulldogs, putting his squad back up by three.
But the ‘Cats kept their trust in Singleton, and Reid gave it right back to the freshman forward in the corner for what looked to be a game-tying three-pointer with 31 seconds to play. However, Singleton’s toes were just barely on the three-point line, and his shot was correctly called a two.
Down 59-58 with a one-second game to shot clock differential, Northwestern was forced to foul on the other end. Haywood knocked down two free throws for the Bulldogs, bringing the Butler lead to three with 19.8 seconds left.
In need of a three-point bucket, Windham got separation on a step back, but missed back iron. Butler secured the rebound and made their way back to the line to shoot one-and-one free throws.
In a crazy final sequence, Ajayi missed his free throw, allowing Northwestern to nab a rebound and get a game-tying three-point opportunity. However, Oliogu-Elabor came up with a huge offensive rebound, heading back to the charity stripe for the Bulldogs. But, Oliogu-Elabor missed his one-and-one free throw as well! Reid grabbed the long rebound and charged down to the other end in a fast break, but his desperation three-point jumper was well long, giving Butler a narrow 61-58 victory as time expired.
Northwestern will go on a 10-day hiatus before returning to play Howard at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. CST.
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