You’d think by now we’d all stop counting the Knicks out. Down by 20 in a must-win road game? That’s not a red flag for this team — it’s practically their comfort zone.

Sunday night in Indianapolis, the Knicks once again tossed logic out the window and staged their most improbable comeback yet. Down 55–35 late in the first half and staring down a 3–0 series hole, they clawed back behind a fourth-quarter explosion from Karl-Anthony Towns and some classic Thibodeau grit to take Game 3 over the Pacers, 106–100.

And with that, they made history — becoming the first NBA team to come back from 20+ points three different times in the same postseason.

The Knicks don’t play clean. They don’t always play pretty. But they’ve got something that’s becoming harder to deny: they just don’t quit. And that’s turned what looked like a one-sided series into a fight.

Act I: Digging the Hole

Indiana entered Game 3 undefeated in clutch-time scenarios this postseason and riding a strong 4-1 record at home. They had every reason to be confident — and it showed early. Rick Carlisle had his group locked in from the opening tip. They sprinted out in transition, swarmed the boards, and punished every Knicks miss with fast breaks that felt more like layup lines.

Tyrese Haliburton controlled the tempo and got wherever he wanted, while Pascal Siakam sliced through the Knicks' defense like it was a walkthrough. It wasn’t just efficient offense — it was demoralizing. With just over three minutes to go in the second quarter, the Pacers held a 55–35 lead, and the home crowd was already smelling blood.

Meanwhile, the Knicks were spinning their wheels. Offensively, they couldn’t buy a bucket. Defensively, they couldn’t stop fouling. Jalen Brunson picked up his fourth foul before halftime, and Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t far behind with three. Thibs had no choice but to start digging deeper into his rotation — fast.

But here’s the thing about this Knicks team: they’re stubborn. Down 20, on the road, with your two best players in foul trouble? Most teams start thinking about the postgame meal. The Knicks? They rallied off a quiet but meaningful 10-3 spurt to end the half, trimming the lead to 13.

Act II: The Slow Burn in the Third

Halftime speeches in sports usually sound like white noise — "play harder," "do your job," the usual. But this time, the Knicks’ locker room bought in. For a team that had just clawed back from a 20-point hole against Boston twice, they didn’t need fireworks — they just needed a little belief and a reminder that they've been in this situation before.

The Knicks came out in the third quarter like a team that hadn’t forgotten. There was no massive 20-2 run, no highlight reel takeover. It was gritty, methodical basketball. McBride knocked down a big corner three. OG Anunoby found a lane and hammered home a baseline dunk. Shamet hounded Haliburton into coughing up a pass. Each possession was a small win, but they started stacking.

And then the Pacers' shooting went ice cold. One of the more balanced shooting teams all postseason, finished 5-for-25 from deep — by far their worst three-point effort of the playoffs. Whether it was New York’s rotations or just plain nerves, the shots weren’t falling, and the cushion they’d built felt more and more like a trap door.

By the end of the quarter, the Knicks had cut the lead to ten. Not a knockout punch, but they were still within striking distance — and Indy knew it.

Act III: Enter KAT, Exit Pacers

Then came the stretch that might go down as the most electric seven minutes of Karl-Anthony Towns’ career — certainly up until this point. After being pretty quiet for the first three quarters, sitting on just four points, Towns came out in the fourth with fire in his eyes and a green light to match. It didn’t matter if the shot was off balance, deep, contested, or in transition — he was letting it fly. And more often than not, it was going in.

He started with some tough post work, then stepped out and drilled a pick-and-pop three. The Pacers gave him space on the wing? Bang. He curled off Bridges for a smooth catch-and-shoot three. A possession later, he pulled up from nearly 30 feet like it was a regular-season heat check in February. The shot dropped, and so did the jaws of every Pacers fan in the arena.

It was a takeover. Towns dropped 20 points in the fourth quarter alone, matching the Pacers all by himself over those final 12 minutes. Since at least 1998, only one other Knick has put up more points in a fourth quarter of a playoff game. He also joined the likes of Willis Reed, Patrick Ewing, and Dave DeBusschere as the only Knicks to post 20+ points and 15+ boards in a postseason game.

But it wasn’t a solo act. Thibs had to get creative, and credit where it’s due, he trusted his deep bench to hold it down. Delon Wright — normally glued to the bench in high-stakes moments — logged over 13 minutes and was a defensive pest. Landry Shamet, who had barely played in the series, came in and finished with a team-best +12 thanks to timely rotations and hustle plays. Mitchell Robinson reclaimed his starting spot and gave the Knicks some sorely needed stability in the paint early on with six gritty points and strong rebounding.

This was the kind of game where coaching, grit, and adjustments all collided. It was Towns’ quarter, no doubt, but it was the team’s collective fight that kept the Knicks in position to even dream of a comeback.

More Madness on Deck

This is what makes a seven-game series so brutal — and so much fun. The emotional swings are wild. Just a couple days ago, Knicks fans were doom-scrolling and wondering if they were about to get swept out of the playoffs. Fast forward 48 hours and people are tossing Karl-Anthony Towns into imaginary Finals MVP graphics. It’s whiplash, in the best possible way.

Of course, this thing is far from over. New York still trails 2–1 and will have to deal with a hostile Gainbridge Fieldhouse again in Game 4. That crowd’s been loud all series, and it rattled them early in Game 3. Then there’s Brunson’s foul trouble — he’s now picked up 21 fouls over the last three games. It’s not just bad luck anymore; it’s a trend.

But here’s the thing: momentum’s a real thing in the playoffs, and right now it’s wearing a Knicks jersey. Indiana’s chance at a clean sweep just vanished, and the Knicks once again proved that no lead — none — is safe against them.

According to ESPN’s playoff predictor, New York’s chances to win the series jumped from 17% before tipoff to 38% after the final buzzer. Still underdogs, sure, but suddenly very much alive.

Game 3 Was More Than Just a Win

Make no mistake: Game 3 didn’t just extend the series; it re‑wired the psychology of everybody involved. For Indiana, every future 10‑point cushion will feel flimsy. For New York, every double‑digit hole is now a green light to keep attacking.

“We’re built for this,” Towns said at the podium, drenched in Gatorade and adrenaline. Maybe that line reads like a cliche in print, but watching him torch a conference finals defense for 20 in a quarter gives it plenty of credibility.

Whether this comeback becomes the pivotal turning point or just a thrilling footnote depends on Tuesday night. For now, Knicks fans can enjoy the latest chapter in a postseason that’s starting to feel like a binge‑watch thriller — plot twists, impossible escapes, and a protagonist that refuses to stay down.