The Knicks keep believing: "We have to try harder"

Much of the surprising journey of the New York Knicks in these playoffs has been marked by their ability to overcome adverse situations. From the spectacular 21-0 run in the final quarter against Detroit in their debut, to Karl-Anthony Towns's 20 points in the fourth period of Game 3 against Indiana, the New York team has lived on the edge. And if they want to reach the NBA Finals, they will have to climb another mountain.

On Tuesday night, New York started off on the wrong foot again. They allowed 43 points in the first quarter and saw Tyrese Haliburton almost achieve a triple-double before halftime. It was a clear warning of what was to come. Although the Knicks managed to stay close on the scoreboard, they did not find the defensive resources needed to complete the comeback and ended up losing 130-121 in Game 4, played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

With this defeat, the Knicks are down 3-1 in the Eastern Finals. To qualify for the NBA Finals, they will need to beat the Pacers three times in a row, something that no one has achieved since March, as Indiana has not lost consecutive games since then.

With only a few minutes left, New York cut the deficit to just six points, making one think of another of their epic comebacks. However, this time it was not enough. Haliburton and Pascal Siakam imposed their authority in the closing moments, while the Knicks showed their defensive weaknesses at critical times.

Karl-Anthony Towns reflected after the game on the recurring pattern throughout the postseason. "In every game, we fall behind, we come back from there, and that gives us confidence to fight in the fourth quarter. But if you find yourself in that position too many times, you end up burning out. Today, we didn't have that magic," he stated.

One of the biggest challenges for the Knicks has been facing a team like Indiana, which punishes every mistake harshly. New York turned the ball over 17 times, five of them by Josh Hart, which the Pacers converted into 20 points. Also, the fast-paced game of the Rick Carlisle-led team requires maximum defensive concentration. Any poorly executed rotation results in an easy basket.

The instability in the Knicks' starting five and the changes forced by early fouls made things even easier for Indiana. "You can stop one action, but the next one comes right after, and then another. If a player makes a mistake, it affects the entire possession," explained Hart, emphasizing the need for higher focus.

Offensively, the Knicks were not bad. Jalen Brunson and Towns combined for 55 points with a 50% shooting percentage and generated 19 free throws. OG Anunoby also stood out in the second half with 22 points. But Indiana's offense was even more lethal. Haliburton and Siakam combined for 62 points with a 50% shooting percentage. Haliburton, moreover, achieved a historic milestone: 30 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds without turnovers, something unprecedented in playoff records since 1977-78.

Reserve player Bennedict Mathurin also shined with 20 points on just eight attempts.

Brunson acknowledged his defensive limitations and was self-critical. "I'm not doing enough. I have to make a difference." Towns supported his teammate but pointed to shared responsibility. "It's not just him, it's all of us. We need to put in more effort to make it hard for them to score."

Towns himself limped to the press conference after injuring his left knee in the final minutes. Despite that, he stayed in the game. New York now needs more than ever the resilience that has characterized them during these playoffs. Otherwise, their journey will end sooner than dreamed.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Knicks siguen creyendo: "Tenemos que esforzarnos más"