Knicks demolished in second half as dream season ends with Game 6 dud
A dejected Jalen Brunson walks off the floor after the Knicks' 125-108 season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31, 2025.
INDIANAPOLIS — It was set up perfectly for them.
The Cavaliers bowed out early.
The Celtics became depleted and were never going to recover after blowing those two 20-point leads at home.
The Knicks then flushed that golden opportunity down the drain.
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They blew Game 1, a loss that will be remembered among the very worst in franchise history, and they never recovered.
Favored to reach the NBA Finals, the Knicks couldn't even push the Pacers in Game 6.
Series-long issues — transition defense, turnovers and slowing down Pascal Siakam — were among the reasons Indiana cruised to a 125-108 rout Saturday night at boisterous Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Above those were Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks' two All-NBA talents, coming up small in a big spot.
Their best was needed, and they didn't come close to providing it.
Their defensive shortcomings are one thing, and they were clear throughout this series, but neither was close to good enough on the offensive end Saturday night.
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'Not much to be said. We knew we kind of gave this one away,' Josh Hart said. 'You can't start 0-2, especially losing two at home. You can't give away games in the playoffs.'
A dejected Jalen Brunson walks off the floor after the Knicks' 125-108 season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brunson committed five of the Knicks' 18 turnovers, and shot 8-of-18 from the field.
Towns had an empty 22 and 14 rebounds. OG Anunoby (24 points) was the Knicks' best player.
When it mattered, the Knicks couldn't slow down the Pacers.
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Jalen Brunson drives to the basket during the Knicks' 125-108 season-ending Game 6 loss on May 31, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
They couldn't do it late in Game 1, and they couldn't come close in Game 4 or Game 6. After piling up 130 points Tuesday in this building, the Pacers shot a blistering 54 percent from the field, made 17-of-33 3-point attempts and had six players in double figures.
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Siakam (31 points), the series MVP, was the best big man in the series. Tyrese Haliburton (21 points and 14 assists) was the best guard.
'There were stretches where we played very good defense and stretches where we didn't,' coach Tom Thibodeau said. 'Once we dig into it and look at: Was it our defense, or was it our turnovers? Probably both.'
OG Anunoby wears a dejected expression after the Knicks' season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pacers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Aaron Nesmith dunks the ball during the Knicks' season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
And so, the Knicks now head into the offseason in disappointing fashion, despite reaching the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. For the second straight year, the Pacers ended their season. At least last year, the Knicks could point to injuries. They were healthy this spring. It is worth wondering if they can get past this point led by Towns and Brunson, two defensively challenged players.
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'It hurts to not bring an opportunity to the city for a championship,' Towns said. 'We got a bunch of great guys in that locker room, and we hope to put ourselves in this position again.'
The Knicks were fortunate to trail by four at halftime. Their offensive stars, Brunson and Towns, shot a combined 7-of-20 from the field. Bridges and Anunoby were carrying them.
Tyrese Haliburton drives to the basket during the Knicks' Game 6 season-ending loss to the Pacers on May 31, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
After halftime, it fell apart quickly. The Pacers opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run. It started with four empty trips by the Knicks, and Indiana took advantage. The lead ballooned to 13 in a hurry and grew to 15 after a Thomas Bryant 3-pointer.
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'Third quarter, I think it's been a lot of third quarters, them coming out with a lot more energy than us, playing harder than us,' Mikal Bridges said.
The Knicks responded with eight points in a row. They had momentum and possession. But then Bridges lost the ball, leading to an Aaron Nesmith dunk.
Soon, the lead was 14 again. Soon, the offseason had arrived. There would be no Game 7 at the Garden on Monday night. No miracle comeback after three of them this postseason.
'It sucks, man, simple as that,' Brunson said. 'It sucks.'
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Nesmith's style of play fits in better with the starters as he doesn't require the ball in his hands much, and at his best he's a better defender than Mathurin. However, Mathurin ultimately has a more complete offensive skill set and perhaps a higher ceiling on that end. For nearly a month after he returned to action, Nesmith stayed on the bench. However, Carlisle eventually decided they wouldn't get the best out of Nesmith if he was coming off the bench and it would be better for this team's success even if it threw a wrench into longer-term plans. Carlisle shifted Nesmith back into the starting small forward role on Feb. 12. He didn't even score in his first game as a starter and had eight points the next night. However, he came back after the All-Star break rejuvenated and averaged 15.0 points per game on 52.2% shooting and 45.3% 3-point shooting. In his first four seasons in the league, Tyrese Haliburton made himself available for just about every showcase he could take part in. 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In his first seven games after the break he averaged 23.9 points per game on 60% shooting including 54.5% from the arc with 12.0 assists per game against 1.1 turnovers. He missed some time with another injury and cooled off but still averaged 20.6 points and 11.0 assists after the All-Star break. That has led into a postseason in which he's averaged 18.8 points and 9.8 assists per game, hit three of the biggest shots in Pacers history and led them where just one Indiana team has ever been before.
