Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks will try to force a Game 7 against Pacers tonight

Successfully overcoming a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA is something that doesn’t happen all that often. In fact, it’s only been accomplished 13 times throughout the league’s 75-plus year history, the most recent instances coming in the 2020 Playoffs when the Denver Nuggets (fueled by incredible stretches from former Kentucky guard Jamal Murray) did it twice in the same postseason.

Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks are looking to make it happen for a 14th time, but they first have to force a Game 7 before they can create a chance at making history.

The 3-seeded Knicks trail the 4-seeded Indiana Pacers 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers won Game 1 in mind-melting fashion, the Knicks blowing a sizable fourth-quarter lead before Tyrese Haliburton’s shot at the buzzer hit the back of the rim and nearly touched the Madison Square Garden ceiling before falling into the hoop and forcing overtime, which Indiana would go on to win. The Pacers then stole Game 2 before the Knicks got on the board with a Game 3 win. Indiana struck back in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead before New York dominated Game 5.

Which leads us to tonight’s Game 6 showdown in Indianapolis. Everyone expects Knicks’ All-Star guard Jalen Brunson to show up, but the largest X-Factor will be his fellow All-Star teammate.

GAME 6 TONIGHT 🍿

Jalen Brunson (32 PTS, 4 3PM) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24 PTS, 13 REB) helped New York take Game 5 at home.

Will the Knicks force a Game 7 or will Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers advance to their first #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV since 2000?

Game 6 in… pic.twitter.com/iPIl1Zb5p0

— NBA (@NBA) May 31, 2025

KAT has dropped at least 20 points in every game so far this series, not to mention four double-doubles. He’s scored exactly 24 points in three straight contests now, New York going 2-1 in those outings. For the series, the seven-footer is posting per-game averages of 25.4 points and 11.8 rebounds on shooting splits of 51.8/42.3/81.1.

Foul trouble has continued to nag at him throughout this series, but on offense, he’s switched his approach from shooting beyond the perimeter to attacking the Indiana frontcourt. Towns shot 20 three-pointers across the first three games, and hit them at a decent clip, but he’s attempted just six across the last two games. Getting into the lane more often has proven to be a winning tactic.

But an even more notable development in this series is how the Knicks tend to perform better when one of Brunson and Towns is off the floor. Together, New York’s defense takes a serious hit while Towns’ offensive impact wanes. But when they’re separated, the team defense goes up a notch while each player can take over as the offensive focal point. That’s been key in the Knicks winning two of the last three games — will Indiana find a way to mask it in Game 6?

The Knicks routed Indiana in Game 5. It was easily the best New York had looked in this series from start to finish, and the worst outing for the Pacers. After Haliburton went for 32 points, 15 assists, and 12 rebounds without a turnover in Indiana’s Game 4 win, he was held to just eight points on 2-7 shooting the next time out. New York’s Mikail Bridges upped the full-court defensive intensity and kept the superstar in check.

Indiana will enter Game 6 as the betting favorite at -4, according to FanDuel. A Knicks win tonight would force Game 7 back in MSG — that’s something the Pacers want to avoid at all costs. Not counting the 13 teams that have completed 3-1 comebacks in NBA history, only 23 times has a team even come back from down 3-1 to create a Game 7.

Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT. The winner of this series will take on league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, and the rest of the Oklahoma City Thunder in next month’s NBA Finals.