The chants still echo in the tunnels of Gainbridge Fieldhouse—a taunting, guttural roar of “Flopper! Flopper! Flopper!” that followed Jalen Brunson back to the locker room after Game 4. For the Knicks’ All-NBA engine, the noise was more than an insult; it was the sound of a season teetering on extinction. Down 3-1 to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, New York now stares into the abyss of a statistic that chills even the most defiant hearts: NBA teams facing this deficit lose the series 96% of the time . Yet as Madison Square Garden braces for Thursday’s win-or-die Game 5, a flicker of hope remains—not in numbers, but in the man who has carried this “very average team” further than logic ever allowed.
The Weight of a City, The Ghosts of History
New York’s desperation is layered with cruel irony. Just days ago, the Knicks authored a 20-point comeback in Game 3—their third such resurrection this postseason—proving their capacity for defiance. Karl-Anthony Towns erupted for 20 fourth-quarter points, joining Brunson as the only Knicks ever to score 20+ in a playoff quarter . “We saw we were on the brink of it looking pretty dark,” Brunson said afterward. “The way we responded brings us closer” . That resilience now faces its ultimate test.
History, however, is a merciless opponent. Only 13 teams since 1968 have scaled the 3-1 mountain, and just four did it in the conference finals or NBA Finals . The most iconic—the 2016 Cavaliers—had LeBron James, a suspended Draymond Green, and home-court advantage. The Knicks? They lost Games 1 and 2 at MSG, violating a core rule of comebacks: no team has ever rallied from 3-1 without entering Game 5 tied 2-2 . Their playoff record at home (3-5) feels like a betrayal of the Garden’s mythos . Even Patrick Ewing’s missed layup in 1995 against these same Pacers lingers like a curse .
Brunson’s Burden: Flopper Chants and Flawed Heroes
Brunson’s playoff brilliance—34.0 PPG this series—masks a brutal truth: he’s been fighting alone. ESPN’s Mike Greenberg minced no words: “Jalen Brunson single-handedly dragged a very average team to the Eastern Conference Finals” . The supporting cast’s flaws glare under pressure:
- Karl-Anthony Towns vanished after his Game 3 heroics, struggling defensively against Pascal Siakam (-20 in Game 4) .
- Josh Hart’s five Game 4 turnovers and late fouling out crippled momentum. “My turnovers killed us,” he admitted .
- OG Anunoby’s shooting slump (6-for-23 on open threes) and Mikal Bridges’ inconsistency leave Brunson starved for reliable outlets .
Even Brunson, the Clutch Player of the Year, hasn’t been flawless. Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith has hounded him into 10 turnovers and 1-for-7 three-point shooting . And the “flopper” label—amplified by Indiana’s crowd—underscores a deeper fatigue: the burden of carrying an entire offense while battling perceptions .
The Pacers’ Juggernaut: Haliburton’s Symphony
Indiana’s dominance isn’t accidental—it’s engineered by Tyrese Haliburton’s transcendent command. His Game 4 masterpiece—32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, 4 steals, 0 turnovers—was a playoff first in NBA history . His 44 assists to just 6 turnovers this series (a 7.3:1 ratio) dismantled New York’s defense like a virus corrupting code . The Pacers thrive on pace, ball movement, and exploiting New York’s undisciplined transitions. “We weren’t disciplined tonight,” Brunson conceded after Game 4. “I wasn’t disciplined” .
The Formula for a Miracle: How New York Stays Alive
For the Knicks to defy 96% odds, they must channel their road-warrior grit (6-2 away record) into a Garden revival . The blueprint exists:
- Bench Resurrection: Landry Shamet (+18) and Delon Wright (+11) outplayed Indiana’s reserves. More minutes for them could offset the Pacers’ depth .
- Turnover Annihilation: Indiana scored 20 points off 17 Knicks turnovers in Game 4. Protect the ball, and you negate their transition tsunami .
- Brunson Unleashed: Despite Nesmith’s defense, Brunson torched Andrew Nembhard last postseason. Isolate mismatches and let him cook .
- Towns’ Redemption: His Game 3 fourth quarter proved his ceiling. New York needs that version for 48 minutes—not 12 .
Most crucially, they must weaponize their resilience. Three 20-point comebacks this postseason reveal a team that thrives when cornered. “No lead is safe,” Tom Thibodeau insisted, citing the three-point era’s volatility .
The Verdict: Legacy on the Brink
Madison Square Garden on Thursday won’t host a basketball game—it will stage a reckoning. Either Haliburton’s Pacers complete their ascent to the Finals, or Brunson ignites the greatest ECF comeback since LeBron’s Cavs. History screams “impossible.” But Brunson’s Knicks have made a habit of silencing screams. As confetti waits in storage and Indiana’s “flopper” chants fade into the Hudson, one truth remains: miracles require no permission. They only require a star with the will to bend reality. Jalen Brunson has 96 reasons to fail—and one legacy to claim .
