Category: NBA

With the Knicks facing a 0-2 series deficit after Friday's 114-109 Game 2 loss to the Pacers, what changes will be made before a pivotal Eastern Conference Finals swing for Game 3 in Indiana?

Neither side appears to be looking too far ahead as the best-of-seven set shifts from MSG to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

"Same thing -- just get ready for the next one," said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau after the Pacers, who mixed in 11 players, outscored New York's eight-man rotation 65-57 in the second half. "You've got to be ready for the next challenge. We've got to study the film, make our corrections and get ready to play again."

Indiana stole both of the first two away games in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers before dropping Game 3, 126-104.

Although Rick Carlisle's team won the series, 4-1, the Pacers are not taking the Knicks for granted.

"There are a lot of traps here," Carlisle said. "You cannot assume going home is going to be easier -- it never is. Each game, as you ascend in a playoff series, becomes harder.

"New York -- they have an amazing fighting spirit, so we're going to have to keep concentrating on our process, making it hard on them and trying to keep tempo in the game."

Where do the Knicks start?

After Pascal Siakam's game-high 39 points among the Pacers' six double-digit scorers, New York must get back to basics.

"Just taking it one game at a time," said Knicks wing Mikal Bridges, who scored 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds in 45 minutes. "We know it's 2-0, but it's still a long series -- 1-1 first series, up 2-0 last series, now down 0-2.

"We've just got to find different ways to advance. We've just got to be better defensively as a team and offensively make the right play."

Karl-Anthony Towns echoed Bridges when he referenced how his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals and lost three straight before ultimately winning the series in seven games.

"If I've learned anything, especially last year, as quick as you win two games is as quick as you could lose two games," said Towns, who scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 28 minutes. "So just bank on my experience and we've just go to execute at a higher level."

The Indiana Pacers are leaving New York with more than just a pair of road wins. They now have a stranglehold on the Eastern Conference finals.

Pascal Siakam erupted for a playoff career-high 39 points and helped close out a 114-109 victory over the Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, giving the Pacers a 2-0 lead as the best-of-seven-games series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3. It was another ruthless closing performance by an Indiana team that has now taken back-to-back games from the Knicks on their home floor.

Siakam’s brilliance was complemented by 16 points from Myles Turner and a near triple-double from Tyrese Haliburton, who stuffed the box score with 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Indiana, now halfway to just their second trip to the NBA finals, depart New York in firm control.

Game 3 is Sunday in Indiana, though the Pacers might prefer to keep playing in Manhattan. They’ve now won six straight playoff road games dating back to a first-round loss in Milwaukee, the longest streak in team history.

“I just came out aggressive at the end of the day, we’re a team, you know, it doesn’t matter who scores, that’s what I love so much about this team,” said Siakam, the ninth-year power forward from Cameroon who’d scored 17 points in Game 1. “I got to go in early, the guys did a good job finding me, and again, another night is going to be somebody else, you know, that’s what makes us special.

A back-and-forth contest with 17 lead changes through the first three quarters was tied 81-81 heading into the fourth when the Pacers opened the final frame on a 13-4 run with Knicks star Jalen Brunson on the bench. They seized momentum for good after Siakam’s three-pointer with 9:17 remaining made it 94-85 and never trailed again.

By the time Haliburton found Siakam in acres of space for an easy layup that made it 110-100 with 2:45 left, the result seemed all but a handshake away. New York rattled off nine unanswered points during a furious rally and cut the deficit to 112-109 in the final seconds, but Brunson’s contested 29-footer to tie caromed off the back of the rim. Indiana’s Myles Turner secured the rebound and iced the game at the line, bringing the rollicking sellout crowd of 19,812 to heel.

It marked the second straight fourth-quarter fade by the Knicks, who also blew a 14-point lead with under three minutes left in Game 1. While Friday’s loss wasn’t quite as historic, it was every bit as devastating. “We had a chance to tie the ballgame,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It was a hard-fought game. Both games came down to the last play.”

Brunson led the Knicks with 36 points and 11 assists, a heroic effort that wasn’t quite enough. Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 10 rebounds while Josh Hart chipped in 15 points and 11 boards. But the Knicks shot just 11-of-32 from deep and once again struggled with turnovers and defensive communication at key moments, allwoing the Pacers far too many wide-open looks.

Haliburton followed up his Game 1 heroics with a more subdued but effective night. Turner added 16 points, including 13 on 4-of-6 shooting in the fourth, and held his own defensively against Towns.

For Indiana, it was another showcase of their poise and versatility. Their bench outscored New York’s 24-11, and they outshot the Knicks 52% to 45% from the field.

No team has lost the first two games on their home floor in a conference finals and come back to win the series. Indiana are bidding for a second NBA finals appearance in their 58-year history and first since 2000, when they bowed to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

As for the Knicks, the questions are piling up. They’ve now dropped consecutive games at home for the first time all playoffs. Their late-game execution, so often a strength under Thibodeau, has deserted them. And their margin for error is all but spent as they now face the daunting task of flipping their first conference finals appearance in 25 years on the road against one of the NBA’s hottest teams.

The Knicks are in a 0-2 hole after losing Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 114-109, to the Indiana Pacers.

Takeaways

1. The Knicks had no answer for Pascal Siakam, whose game-high 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting in 33 minutes kept the Pacers humming despite off nights by Game 1 stars Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith.
2. Jalen Brunson did what he could with his team-high 36 points on 13-of-26 shooting and 11 assists in 39 minutes, but co-star Karl-Anthony Towns' inconsistent 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting (and -19 rating) through 28 minutes left New York lacking. Either the Knicks' supporting cast needs to step up Tom Thibodeau must take a look at making changes.
3. Along those lines, should Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride play more? Robinson's defense and rebounding (nine boards, including four offensive) in 29 minutes off the bench gave the Knicks much-needed sparks, while McBride's two-way potential flashed through his 25 minutes.
4. Do the Knicks have enough depth to keep up with the Pacers for Games 3, 4 and beyond? Despite Haliburton and Nesmith coming back down to earth for Game 2, the Pacers picked up the slack with TJ McConnell's 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting and three assists in 14 minutes off the bench. Indiana played 11 players and flexed its depth as it forced Thibodeau to reconsider the Knicks' rotation and potential lineup adjustments.

Who's the MVP?

Siakam

Highlights

Deuce McBride gets the triple to go and MSG is loving it 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/BwZXrhTFH9

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 24, 2025

Cam Payne finds Mitchell Robinson for the slam 😤 pic.twitter.com/B9118Y1ifH

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 24, 2025

Brunson ties it up before the end of the 3rd! ✨

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/jp5SI1aqd6

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 24, 2025

What's next

The Knicks head to the Pacers' home court for Game 3, which tips off Sunday at 8 p.m. from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Twenty-two seasons ago, LeBron James entered the NBA with almost unbelievable expectations, the fate of a franchise in Cleveland and a league hungry for a new star on his back.

Twenty-two years later, the Lakers' star exceeded even the most outlandish predictions, winning championships in three different cities, scoring more points than anyone in league history and authoring the kind of sustained greatness that’s unmatched across sport.

And if you needed proof, more was offered Friday.

A panel of media voters selected James to the league’s All-NBA second team — the 21st year he’s been voted all-league on one of the three teams. His 21 All-NBA appearances is six more than Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Kobe Bryant andf Tim Duncan, who are tied with the second at 15.

Despite turning 40 in late December, James played 70 games and averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three. His 78.2% shooting from the free-throw line was a career best.

Clippers guard James Harden made All-NBA third team, his eighth All-NBA selection and first since 2020.

League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell made first team All-NBA.

Read more:LeBron James' future: What's next for the Lakers star?

Jalen Brunson, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards and Evan Mobley joined James on the second team while Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Williams were with Harden on the third team.

James, who suffered a sprained medial collageral ligament in the Lakers’ final game of the first round, has a $52-million player option for next season. If he declines the option, he’d be an unrestricted free agent.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks' dynamic duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns earned All-NBA honors, the league announced Friday.

Brunson was named to the All-NBA second team while Towns made it to the All-NBA third team.

The Knicks guard is having another incredible season in his third year in New York. After being named to his second All-Star team -- his first as a starter -- he's now a two-time All-NBA player after being named to the second team a season ago.

Brunson joins Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James and Evan Mobley on the second team after averaging 26 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists across 65 games this season.

As for Towns, the first-year Knick not only made the All-Star team but was named to his third career All-NBA team. He was named to the All-NBA third team for the 2017-18 season and the 2021-22 season as a member of the Timberwolves.

Towns joins Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden and Jalen Williams on the All-NBA third team after averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 72 games this season.

While both Knicks had tremendous seasons, they fell short of first-team honors. That recognition went to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

One may be the loneliest number, but No. 2 is what sent Shaquille O'Neal urgently mincing off the "Inside the NBA" stage last month while the cameras kept running.

O'Neal copped to the truth Thursday night during his 18th appearance on "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon," giving what might be more detail than anyone needed about that sudden departure in April.

Read more:'Do we need to throw hands?' Shaquille O'Neal-Dwight Howard beef still going strong in 2025

First, he clung to the fib, saying, "I was drinking a lot of water that day. So I know I had the No. 2 run, but it was really a No. 1. So let's just get that out of the way."

He explained he was drinking olive oil at the time "to be sexy," because he'd seen on Instagram that if he drank olive oil daily for 14 days, he would clean out his system and have a flat stomach. "So I was trying that."

A laughing Fallon held his face in his hands.

"You know what," O'Neal said. "I just made a mistake. I lied to you on national TV. It wasn't a No. 1 run. It was a No. 2 run. I had to go bad. Oh, I had to go so bad."

Shaq had to hustle out of Studio J 🤣😅 pic.twitter.com/HcAXHjqUki

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 22, 2025

Fallon begged him to keep telling the lie. O'Neal asked whether the host had seen him squeezing his butt cheeks as he scooted away from the "Inside the NBA" desk.

Then Fallon showed a photo of what the crew did to O'Neal the next day: It put a blue porta-potty in studio on his side of the table.

Blessedly, the conversation then moved in a different direction.

Read more:Shaquille O'Neal-Shannon Sharpe beef reaches diss track level. Here's how we got here

Things were a bit more serious but no less amusing back in April when O'Neal got up while a co-host was in the middle of talking and — in a big hurry — walked awkwardly in front of his fellow panelists and out the stage door. Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley weren't sure what was going on.

"You all right, big fella?" Barkley asked with a look of concern on his face.

As the camera (cruelly) followed him, O'Neal blurted to his co-hosts to "go ahead, keep talking" while one reminded him, "Hey, we're on TV."

"It's that olive oil you've been drinking," Barkley said. "Hey, take some matches with you."

Read more:Jimmy Kimmel's a grandpa after his '83-year-old' daughter gives birth

As the remaining hosts broke into giggles, Kenny Smith said, "After 40, you can't hold it no more."

"That wasn't something planned, was it?" Ernie Johnson Jr. wondered.

Smith also noted that O'Neal had been drinking olive oil to clean out his system, saying, "Oh, he's cleaning out his gut all right!"

"I did not like his gait as he left!" Johnson said.

Read more:Tracy Morgan posts proof of life after vomiting courtside at last night's Knicks game

And Barkley simply couldn't move past the idea of the smell.

"Please turn his mic off, that's all," Smith quipped. Then, as Smith tried to return to talking about L.A. Clippers forward Kawhai Leonard, the team in TNT's Studio J came through with the instant replay of Shaq bailing out. Instant. Freaking. Replay.

IN SLO-MO.

The three very professional analysts immediately began very professional analysis of O'Neal's shambolic gait.

The big man returned fairly soon after that, mumbling something about drinking too much water and about Barkley talking way too long when he really needed to cut to a break.

"Sorry about that, America," he said.

Seriously Shaq, you have absolutely no reason to apologize. As long as you remember the matches.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s MVP — along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Antetokounmpo has seven first-team selections and nine appearances on the All-NBA team overall. Jokic is a five-time first-teamer and seven-time All-NBA pick, Tatum is first-team for the fourth time (fifth overall), Gilgeous-Alexander has been first-team in all three of his All-NBA appearances, and Mitchell is All-NBA for the second time in his career.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams were named to the third team.

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

Mitchell got 61 first-team votes, 35 second-team and four third-team. Edwards got 11 first-team, 87 second-team and two third-team. Curry got two first-team, 68 second-team and 30 third-team. And Brunson got two first-team, 62 second-team and 36 third-team.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

Jokic appeared on every All-NBA ballot for the fifth consecutive year; it would be six in a row if he hadn’t fallen one vote short of unanimous status in 2020. Jayson Tatum was on every All-NBA ballot for the fourth consecutive season.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections. Kobe Bryant (11 first-team picks), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 first-team picks) and Tim Duncan (10 first-team picks) are the other members of the 15-time club.

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s MVP — along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Antetokounmpo has seven first-team selections and nine appearances on the All-NBA team overall. Jokic is a five-time first-teamer and seven-time All-NBA pick, Tatum is first-team for the fourth time (fifth overall), Gilgeous-Alexander has been first-team in all three of his All-NBA appearances, and Mitchell is All-NBA for the second time in his career.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams were named to the third team.

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

Mitchell got 61 first-team votes, 35 second-team and four third-team. Edwards got 11 first-team, 87 second-team and two third-team. Curry got two first-team, 68 second-team and 30 third-team. And Brunson got two first-team, 62 second-team and 36 third-team.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

Jokic appeared on every All-NBA ballot for the fifth consecutive year; it would be six in a row if he hadn’t fallen one vote short of unanimous status in 2020. Jayson Tatum was on every All-NBA ballot for the fourth consecutive season.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections. Kobe Bryant (11 first-team picks), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 first-team picks) and Tim Duncan (10 first-team picks) are the other members of the 15-time club.

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

Tatum selected to First-Team All-NBA for fourth straight season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has added another impressive accomplishment to his NBA resume.

The All-NBA teams for the 2024-25 season were announced Friday night, and Tatum was selected to the First Team for the fourth straight season. It’s the longest streak of First-Team All-NBA selections by a Celtics player since Larry Bird earned the honor in nine straight seasons from 1979-80 through 1987-88.

Tatum also is one of just 24 players in league history (11 since 2000) to make All-NBA First Team in four or more consecutive seasons.

Joining Tatum on the First Team are Milwakuee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

No other Celtics players were selected to any of the three All-NBA teams. Jaylen Brown (63 games played) didn’t meet the minimum threshold of 65 games played to be eligible for an All-NBA team.

Tatum led the Celtics with averages of 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and six assists per game this season, while also shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from 3-point range. He played in 72 of 82 regular season games. The 27-year-old also has averaged 26-plus points per game in five straight seasons.

Tatum’s five total All-NBA appearances — he made the third team in 2019-20 — are the sixth-most by a Celtics player. Bob Cousy has the franchise record with 12 All-NBA selections.

Tatum’s All-NBA streak likely will end next season as he recovers from a ruptured right Achilles suffered in Game 4 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals series versus the New York Knicks. The injury is expected to sidelined him most or all of the 2025-26 season.