NEW YORK — The Knicks’ vibes were immaculate in the opening minutes of their Game 2, Eastern Conference semifinals matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Forward OG Anunoby came out aggressive on offense — arguably more aggressive than he had been to start a game all season — scoring 10 of the Knicks’ first 18 points. Madison Square Garden was in true playoff form after Jalen Brunson knocked down a pull-up 3-pointer, right in Tyrese Haliburton’s grill, to put the Knicks up 24-13 with 4:04 left in the first quarter.
But those positive vibes soon devolved into a state of profound concern. Oh, how quickly things went south for the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference when Brunson — who entered the night with four-straight 40-point games in these playoffs — left the court with 3:32 left in the first quarter.
The Knicks’ 130-121 defeat of Indiana in Game 2 was an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved. Brunson’s unsettling injury was just the start.
Many inside the building feared the All-Star guard would not return. Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father and a Knicks assistant, was not on the bench and that clearly was not a great sign. And the Knicks were already paper-thin, playing without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson Wednesday night.
Brunson was hip-checked by Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard early in the first quarter, and from that point on, he was seen grabbing at his groin area as he made his way up and down the court. Some assumed that collision is what led to his early exit. However, late in the second quarter, the Knicks announced that Brunson had a sore right foot and was questionable to return.
Fans were rightfully petrified. As Brunson goes, so does this Knicks team. This is a guy who has been in the same conversation as Michael Jordan in recent weeks.
However, as the halftime festivities began to wind down, there was Brunson, slowly emerging from the tunnel with his chest out and head high. “MVP” chants began to reign down from the rafters as the guard began his warmup routine, knocking down one free throw after another, showing everyone inside Madison Square Garden that he was just fine.
Regardless of how severe Brunson’s injury actually was, it gave shades of Willis Reed, who was battling a torn right tensor muscle during the 1970 NBA Finals but emerged from the tunnel inside Madison Square Garden just minutes before Game 7. It injected his teammates with confidence and instilled doubt into Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fifty-four years later, Brunson’s return to the floor had a similar effect.
Brunson’s latest display of mental and physical toughness gave the Knicks a 2-0 series lead over the Pacers. Two more and the team will punch its first ticket to the Eastern Conference finals in 24 years.
