Pacers desperate close saves Game 3 win, setting up wild Mother's Day at the Fieldhouse for Game 4

The 48 minute edge the Pacers and Knicks played with in Game 3 seems impossible to replicate, but both teams refuse to let up in this Eastern Conference semi.

The Pacers outlasted the Knicks in Game 3 on Friday, 111-105 with what seemed like rapid fire ebbs and flows by both teams, easily swapping momentum back and forth until the Pacers finally seized for good with an unlikely 30-foot 3-ball by Andrew Nembhard with 16 minutes left in the game after Tyrese Haliburton threw him a grenade with the shot clock winding down.

In real time, the bulk of this game was described to me since I was unable to watch live. My son’s graduation ceremony at Purdue started at 7 p.m. ET, just like Game 3 in the Fieldhouse. Fortunately, my younger son (an IU student) had his ear pods and phone keeping track of the game.

His early emotions watching the Pacers start convinced me I was bringing good karma by leaving my phone alone and paying attention to the ceremony. But by the third quarter he was bumping me to look at ridiculous replays. That Tyrese layup in traffic was nuts.

After the ceremony, we were able to hit the road back to Indy early in the fourth quarter, so Mark Boyle brought us home with his HD visuals on the radio call. Two things stand out from the ride home. Hearing the net swish to confirm Pascal Siakam made a pair of free throws to put the Pacers up late in the fourth. After all of Siakam’s struggles at the line, including hearing Doris Burke on the replay, actually mentioning the yips about the FTs (brutal!), the man was money in Game 3, making 7-9 for the game and 4 of 5 at winning time.

Of course, Boyle’s description of Nemhbard’s three was the other stand out call in the car. It was confusing as to who shot it, Haliburton or Nembhard, but that was cleared up when Boyle’s astonishment kicked: “35 foot…THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! No. TWOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Photo: @Pacers

Glorious. Kinda like Myles Turner’s reaction. Hear all of the highlights HERE.

Another classic call from Boyle who sounded a bit under the weather, playing through it like the players on the court. About those players playing through it. Wow! After watching the game replay, the amount of gust spilled and body parts dinged up in not just Game 3 but the series to date, has been spectacular.

The most 90s-ist, Pacers-ist, Knicks-ist series you could possibly have in today’s NBA. Blood and guts spilled, multiple guys getting up limping but still putting up points. Although those point total weren’t as high in the battle royale at the Fieldhouse on Friday night. Heading into Game 4, this has certainly become a series of attrition.

While the Knicks have been playing their available starters monster minutes with just a day in between, it seemed like the Pacers might gain an advantage if they could extend the series. OG Anunoby missed Game 3 and is out for Game 4. Jalen Brunson played through a sore foot which flared up a couple of times in Game 3. He is not on the injury report for Sunday, though. What’s the point, I guess?

The Pacers do have two extra guys on the injury report with Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith both questionable. Nesmith has a shoulder issue, but I’d be shocked if both didn’t give it a go to play as long as possible. Nesmith’s defense on Brunson shook up the flow of the game early and will be needed, again.

Haliburton turned his ankle in the second half and is already dealing with a sore back that seems to be a target of every Knick elbow in his vicinity. Tyrese also landed on his tailbone converting a wild and 1 in the lane. Leaving his postgame press obligation, Haliburton looked worse than stiff and sore as he tried to walk down a could of stairs.

The short turnaround with a day off but a 3:30 p.m. ET tip will put the variable of mental toughness at the forefront for two squads that have to be exhausted. But like a golden retriever who can refuse to run after a thrown ball, these two teams keep going at each other with all of the effort they can muster.

Despite his aches and pains, Haliburton finished with 35 points and was on a heater early in the game from behind the arc. Unfortunately, Donte DiVincenzo caught fire from 3-land early, as well and ended up matching Haliburton’s 35. The Knicks made this a game and then appeared ready to take it thanks to their 3-point proficiency through three quarters. They shot over 60 percent from behind the arc through 3Q but were just 3 of 9 in the fourth quarter. The Pacers were not great for the game, making just 12 of 32 (37%) but after Nembhard made his magic happen, all was good.

The tough mindset to keep grinding no matter what happens — whether it be wild threes, missed calls, bad calls, favorable calls — has improved for the Pacers as they absorb playoff experience with each game.

The Knicks have simply forced the Pacers to grow up, get tough or get embarrassed. The Pacers showed what they’ve learned so far by closing out Game 5 with several offensive rebounds to keep possessions alive, including the Nesmith grabbing the carom of a missed Haliburton 3-ball which eventually lead to Nemhard’s bomb for the win.

That late effort and the wild game winner lifted this series to an epic level. Every possession seems like a test of every player’s manhood on both sides and no one is ready to back down. The Pacers are in that scary spot of enjoying a little success and exhaling when they can’t do so for even a second against this Knicks team.

Lessons learned? That would be a big one for the Pacers to prove they’ve mastered in Game 4. The opportunity is waiting for them. Can they take it?

Game 4 Details

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, IN

When: Sunday, May 12, 2024, 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ABC

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers -5.5

Projected Starters

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, Isaiah Hartenstein

Injuries

Pacers: Aaron Nesmith (shoulder) - questionable), Tyrese Haliburton (ankle, back) - questionable, Bennedict Mathurin (shoulder) - out

Knicks: OG Anunoby (hammy) - out, Mitchell Robinson (ankle) - out, Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) - out, Julius Randle (shoulder) - out