Indiana Pacers’ Stunning Upset Tonight: How Their Breakout Star Changed the Game — Highlights & Analysis

INDIANAPOLIS — What began as a raucous homecoming for the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals ended in heartbreak, as the New York Knicks erased a 20-point deficit to steal a 106-100 victory and trim Indiana’s series lead to 2-1. Tyrese Haliburton paced the Pacers with 20 points and six assists, while Myles Turner added 19 points and eight rebounds, but the normally free-flowing Indiana offense stalled after halftime. The Pacers managed just 38 second-half points, coughing up what would have been their first 3-0 series advantage since moving to the NBA in 1976. Coach Rick Carlisle pointed to stagnant ball movement and New York’s intensified perimeter pressure as decisive factors. “We hit first, but we didn’t keep moving the ball once they countered,” Carlisle said postgame. “That’s on all of us, and we’ll correct it.” Key moments that flipped momentum • Third-quarter drought: Indiana missed nine straight shots over nearly five minutes, allowing the Knicks to slice the lead to single digits. • Josh Hart’s dagger three: With 1:14 left, Hart drilled a left-corner triple that put New York ahead for good, capping a 34-19 fourth quarter. • Rebounding reversal: After dominating the glass early, the Pacers were outrebounded 47-40 overall, surrendering 14 offensive boards that translated into 21 second-chance points. Haliburton vs. Brunson duel continues Haliburton’s early orchestration featured no-look dimes and deep pull-ups, but Jalen Brunson countered with 14 of his 28 points in the fourth, repeatedly targeting switches onto smaller defenders. Expect Carlisle to deploy more zone looks and cross-matches in Game 4 to blunt Brunson’s late-game isolation success. Series outlook and what’s at stake Even with the loss, Indiana maintains home-court advantage and has won six of its last seven playoff games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A bounce-back win Tuesday would push the Pacers within one victory of their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, a milestone the Reggie Miller era never reached. X-factors to watch in Game 4 1. Three-point volume: Indiana attempted only 27 threes in Game 3—below its season average of 38. Spacing around Turner’s pick-and-pop actions will be a focal point in practice. 2. Bench spark: Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin combined for just nine points. Carlisle hinted at staggering rotations to keep at least two starters on the floor during pivotal second-unit stretches. 3. Paint touches: The Pacers scored 42 points in the paint in the first half but only 16 thereafter. Expect more early seals for Pascal Siakam, who attempted a playoff-low eight shots. Fan energy remains a weapon Sunday’s crowd delivered the loudest decibel reading of the postseason, according to arena officials, and veteran T.J. McConnell believes that edge can swing momentum back. “We feed off that noise,” McConnell said. “If we clean up the little things, this series is still ours.” Tip-off for Game 4 is set for 8:30 p.m. ET in Indianapolis. A win would push Indiana to the brink of an elusive Finals berth; a loss would send the series back to Madison Square Garden tied at two—a scenario no one in blue and gold wants to contemplate.