On the anniversary of Willis Reed’s iconic Game 7 appearance in the 1970 NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson made a triumphant return from a right foot injury to lead the New York Knicks to a 130-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Despite missing the entire second quarter while the Pacers surged ahead, Brunson’s second-half resurgence helped the Knicks secure a crucial win and take a commanding series lead.
Brunson fell short of scoring 40 points for the fifth consecutive playoff game but provided exactly what the Knicks needed to take a commanding series lead. OG Anunoby also had a standout performance with a career playoff-high 28 points before leaving the game with a left hamstring injury in the third quarter.
Despite facing injuries that have sidelined key players, the Knicks received strong contributions from Brunson, as well as his Villanova teammates Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. DiVincenzo scored 28 points, while Hart contributed 19 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists to help propel the Knicks to victory.
Tyrese Haliburton bounced back from a tough Game 1 with an impressive performance, posting 34 points, nine assists, and six rebounds for the Pacers. However, the team struggled after head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected from the game following two technical fouls.
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