Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle addressed the team’s 106-100 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night. Carlisle pointed to a poor closing of the third quarter and a weak start to the fourth as key factors. “It turned into, you know, a real back and forth game, and they executed down the stretch and we did not execute well enough,” he said.
The Pacers built a sizable lead late in the third quarter but failed to maintain it. Carlisle said, “We got a pretty deep, pretty good lead in the third quarter but didn’t do a good enough job of attacking, but also avoiding miscues.” He acknowledged the Knicks fought hard to overcome the deficit.
Indiana managed just 42 points in the second half. Carlisle attributed this to the Knicks deploying their top defenders during that period. “They had a lot of their better defenders in the game in the second half, and that makes it harder,” he explained. The coach also noted that Indiana missed some quality shots late in the game.
A significant factor in the fourth-quarter collapse was Karl-Anthony Towns’ dominance, scoring 20 points in that frame. Carlisle admitted, “Didn’t do a good enough job [defending him]. He played great, played great down the stretch.” Towns’ clutch three-pointers and drives to the rim fueled the Knicks’ comeback.
The Pacers also faced a setback when Aaron Nesmith suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter. Carlisle detailed Nesmith’s brief exit and return: “He went back to the training room, got it looked at, got it retaped. He was moving without limitation at that point, so we got him back in.” He added the injury affected the team’s ability to close the quarter effectively.
Carlisle reflected on the team’s overall response to Nesmith’s injury, saying, “We lost a guy like that, it affects your ability to close a quarter.” Still, he emphasized that excuses won’t change the outcome. “Regardless of who’s out there, we got to be able to attack better and finish the game.”
The Knicks’ bench also played a role, with players stepping up after Miles McBride picked up early fouls. “The guys that came in, they battled and did a very good job,” Carlisle said. The coach stressed the need to regroup and improve before Game 4 on Tuesday.
Defensively, Indiana limited Jalen Brunson for much of the game but couldn’t stop him late. Carlisle called Brunson “a walking basket” and acknowledged his tough shot in the final minutes. “They made plays and we didn’t when it got to that point in the fourth quarter. Give them credit.”
Game 4 is set for Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the Pacers trailing 2-1 in the series.
