The Knicks started three guards and a 6-foot-4 power forward in Game 5. Somehow, they dominated in the paint in the first quarter.
New York went on an 11-0 run midway through the first quarter, capping off a four-minute period where the Knicks made nine baskets in a row. Only one of those shots came from further than 10 feet from the basket, a three-pointer by Josh Hart.
Center Isaiah Hartenstein, the team’s lone tall starter, contributed to their interior scoring by grabbing five offensive rebounds, passing out two assists and delivering one powerful putback slam dunk — after crushing Aaron Nesmith with a screen.
The Knicks had seven offensive rebounds in the first. The Pacers had five rebounds, total.
New starter Miles “Deuce” McBride had nine points in the first quarter, while Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart each scored 10. Indiana hung in there by shooting 4-of-5 from three-point range, getting triples from four different players.
New York took a 38-32 lead into the second quarter — and a shocking amount of interior scoring.
