Jalen Brunson delivered an outstanding performance with 43 points, marking his fourth consecutive 40-point achievement as the New York Knicks clinched a 121-117 win against the visiting Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second-round series on Monday night.

Donte DiVincenzo showcased his scoring prowess by contributing 25 points, 21 of which came in the second half, while Josh Hart made a significant impact with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists for New York. Isaiah Hartenstein managed to score 13 points, and OG Anunoby added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks.

On the Pacers’ side, Myles Turner tallied 23 points, Pascal Siakam added 19, and T.J. McConnell contributed 18 points. Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin chipped in 12 points each, with Andrew Nembhard scoring 11 points.

The upcoming Game 2 will take place on Wednesday night in New York.

Brunson joined an elite group of players in NBA playoff history by scoring 40 or more points in four consecutive games. Jerry West holds the record for achieving this feat six times in a row back in 1965. Bernard King (1984) and Michael Jordan (1993) also accomplished the same in four consecutive matches.

In the final moments of the game, DiVincenzo sealed the victory for the Knicks with a crucial 3-pointer, securing a 118-115 lead with only 40.4 seconds left on the clock.

Despite Siakam’s efforts with a driving layup, Indiana fell short, trailing by one point with 26.6 seconds remaining.

Indiana missed a crucial opportunity to take the lead when Turner was penalized for a moving screen with just 12.7 seconds left on the clock.

The game took an unexpected turn as Nembhard fouled Brunson even before the inbound play, resulting in a free throw which Brunson successfully converted, allowing New York to retain possession.

With only 10.7 seconds remaining, Brunson was fouled once more and made two clutch free throws, giving New York a 121-117 lead, ultimately securing the victory for the Knicks.

New York showcased impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 53.7% of their shots from the field, including 11 of 23 from beyond the arc.

The Pacers managed a shooting percentage of 52.3% from the field and made 10 of 26 attempts from the 3-point line.

During a pivotal 9-0 run, Brunson’s seven points helped New York secure a lead in the fourth quarter for the first time. Anunoby’s steal and dunk further extended the Knicks’ lead with 3:11 remaining, with Brunson adding a jumper to make it 113-109.

Despite Nesmith’s free throws and Siakam’s layup leveling the score at 113 with just 2:10 to go, Nembhard’s basket with 1:33 left propelled Indiana to a brief 115-113 lead. However, Brunson’s short turnaround jumper tied the game seconds later.

The Pacers had a commanding 94-85 lead following McConnell’s layup with 10:34 left in the game.

McConnell made a significant impact in the first half with 10 points as the Pacers headed into halftime with a 55-49 lead. Brunson led the scoring for New York with 18 points at halftime. Indiana maintained an 87-82 lead after the third quarter.