A major question looming before the series began was whether the Knicks’ defense could effectively curb the fast-paced Pacers’ offense to maintain a fighting chance. Over the initial three games, Indiana posted a 119.3 offensive rating, slightly surpassing their impressive top-five regular season mark, which helped them take a 2-1 series lead.

In a pivotal Game 4, the Pacers’ offense reached a new level of performance, with their offensive rating soaring to 126.2. This was largely due to Tyrese Haliburton’s exceptional 32-point triple-double performance, achieved without committing a single turnover.

New York couldn’t keep up.

Although the Knicks performed well offensively, Indiana’s explosive offensive display resulted in a 130-121 victory in Game 4, securing them a formidable 3-1 series lead. Game 5, a do-or-die situation for the Knicks, is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Game 4 was played at the Pacers’ tempo from the opening tip. The Knicks’ new starting five was -5 in its first quarter run, while the Pacers had a 159.3 offensive rating in the first quarter, which is why they led by 8 after one. The Knicks made a comeback, using a 9-2 run in the second quarter with the bench in and Brunson resting, and tied the game at 51-51. New York slowed the game down in the second with that bench lineup.

However, in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, Thibodeau leaned back into his former starting lineup — playing Josh Hart but not Mitchell Robinson — and while that lineup was +5 for the game it could not close the gap at the end. The Knicks again looked worn down by the Pacers’ pace of play.

“Just the hustle, making defensive transition, getting more continuity into the offense,” Thibodeau said of why he leaned into Hart in the fourth, rather than going with the bench group that has done well the past two games.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points with five assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 and OG Anunoby 22.

Towns injured his knee in the final minutes in a collision with Aaron Nesmith (where Myles Turner was called for the foul following a review for shoving Towns into Nesmith). This is the same knee he had meniscus surgery on in 2024 and he was limping and flexing that knee the rest of the game. However, he stayed in the game and said he would be good to go in Game 5.

Haliburton got more help with Pascal Siakam adding 30 points and Aaron Nesmith adding 16.

“He stole a lot of my rebounds,” Siakam joked about Haliburton. “He was amazing… I just love the way he played tonight, his energy.”

The Knicks now have to win three straight games to advance to the NBA Finals.

“I’ve never known this team to quit,” Hart said. “That’s not the character of the guys we have in the locker room.”

More than not quitting, the Knicks need to slow down the tempo of the game — and provide Brunson and Towns with consistent help — to have a chance at those wins.