The Indiana Pacers had their worst offensive performance of the postseason on Thursday night, falling 111-94 to the New York Knicks in Game 5. Despite missing a prime opportunity to shut the door on the series, star guard Tyrese Haliburton made it clear—"no need to panic."
"We're a resilient group," Haliburton said after the game. "We always bounce back when things go south. We know what's at stake… we're good. There's no reason to panic."
Even with the loss, the Pacers still hold a 3-2 edge in the series, with Game 6 set for Saturday night in Indianapolis.
The Knicks dominated from start to finish, never trailing in a must-win game. On the flip side, Indiana's offense never found its rhythm. The starting five managed only 37 points—the second-lowest total by any team in a playoff game this year—and the team coughed up 20 turnovers, the most they’ve had this postseason.
It also marked the first time in these playoffs the Pacers were held to under 100 points.
"We didn’t come out with the right energy or mindset," said head coach Rick Carlisle. "It was a rough start, and we never led at any point. A lot of things went wrong. We had moments of momentum, but nothing stuck."
Off the bench, Bennedict Mathurin stepped up with a team-high 23 points, while Pascal Siakam led the starters with 15. Obi Toppin also added 11 points off the bench, making him the only other Pacers player to hit double digits.
After a monster performance in Game 4, Haliburton struggled to find his groove. He posted just eight points on 2-of-7 shooting, along with six assists. His seven shot attempts were the lowest he’s had in a playoff game this season. According to ESPN Research, he was responsible—via scoring or assists—for just 24% (23 of 94) of the Pacers' points, compared to 41% in the previous four games.
"I’ve got to be better—and I will be in Game 6," Haliburton vowed. "As a team, our pace needs to improve. That’s on me. We’ve proven we can play at a high level this postseason. This game wasn’t it. We'll break down the film, clean things up, and come back stronger."
The Pacers didn’t shy away from admitting the Knicks brought more fight in Game 5. But if there’s one thing this squad has done well in the postseason, it’s bouncing back. Forward Aaron Nesmith was blunt about how the team will reignite its fire for the next matchup.
"When you get punched in the mouth like that," he said, "sometimes losing is what pushes you to get better. That’s what happened tonight."
What’s keeping the Pacers confident? They’re heading back to their home court with a 3-2 lead. And history is on their side—Indiana hasn’t lost back-to-back games since March. For Siakam, Game 6 offers a golden opportunity to flip the script.
"You’re going to have off nights," Siakam said. "This is the NBA. Teams are going to come at you hard—and sometimes, they’ll win.
"But for us, it’s always been about us. Us against everybody. That’s not changing. We’re up 3-2 and we’ve got a shot to go home and show the world what we’re made of."
Description:
"The Indiana Pacers struggled offensively in a 111-94 Game 5 loss to the New York Knicks, but Tyrese Haliburton and the team remain confident heading into Game 6. Despite the setback, Indiana leads the series 3-2 and looks to bounce back at home with strong resilience and playoff intensity."