Brunson scores 44, Knicks beat Pacers 121-91 to move a win away from conference finals

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks have one more step to climb to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000.

Jalen Brunson, after a couple rough games, looks ready to take it.

Brunson scored 44 points, reaching 40 for the fifth time in this postseason, and the Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 121-91 on Tuesday night for a 3-2 lead in their playoff series.

The Knicks rebounded from a blowout loss and guaranteed themselves at least one more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who had been aching to see big games in late spring again. Josh Hart had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points after he was inserted into the starting lineup.

The No. 2-seeded Knicks can win the series Friday night at Indiana after the first two-day break between games in the series. Caitlin Clark's WNBA home debut with the Indiana Fever is scheduled for Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, causing the extra day that perhaps can benefit a New York team that is playing without four key players.

Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday afternoon.

“We still need one more win so we can’t get too excited about it,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We have to understand what we need to do, stay focused on the task at hand. If you feel good about yourself you get knocked down in this league. We’ve got to be ready to go.”

Brunson hurt his right foot in Game 2 and was limited to 18 points Sunday, his lowest of the postseason, when the Pacers ran the Knicks off the floor in a 121-89 romp. He kept insisting he was fine and there was no reason to question that Tuesday.

“I think as a team, no matter what the situation is, we have the same mindset no matter what,” Brunson said. “And regardless of how I’m feeling or someone else is feeling, we know what’s at stake, we know what we have to do and we’re going to figure it out.”

Pulling up quickly for 3-pointers off the dribble or using his series of fakes and spins to set up soft jumpers in the lane, Brunson shot 18 for 35 and again looked like the player who finished fifth this season in MVP voting, not the one who shot 10 for 26 in Game 3 and 6 for 17 on Sunday.

He scored 28 in the first half, a Knicks playoff record, and then put away the game in the fourth with seven straight points, capped by a three-point play that made it 106-86 with 7:57 to go.

Brunson, who scored 43 in Game 1 to become the fourth player in NBA history with four consecutive 40-point games in the playoffs, had plenty of help.

Alec Burks, who had been out of the rotation entirely until re-emerging after a rash of injuries, added 18 points off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein had seven points and 17 rebounds. Hartenstein grabbed 12 on the offensive end, helping the Knicks overwhelm the Pacers 53-29 on the glass, with 20 offensive rebounds leading to 26 second-chance points.

“We got annihilated on loose balls, rebounds. Gave up 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots. So, we all own it,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But very embarrassing. Very embarrassing and a hard lesson.”

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who will try to stay unbeaten at home in the postseason to force the decisive game. Myles Turner added 16 but All-Star Tyrese Haliburton had only 13 after averaging 29.7 over the last three games.

Indiana got off to a strong start before the Knicks surged ahead with an 11-0 run en route to a 38-32 lead after one. Carlisle burned three timeouts in the quarter, the crowd seemingly growing louder with each.

Brunson had consecutive baskets for a 13-point lead early in the second quarter and then had the first basket in a 9-0 run that made it 65-47 with 2:11 remaining. A 17-0 run in the third turned an eight-point lead into an 89-64 bulge.

“They killed us on the glass better than they probably have in any game all series,” Haliburton said. “We just didn’t match the intensity level all night.”

The Knicks haven't reached the conference finals since the Pacers beat them in 2000 in the sixth meeting between the teams in eight years. With Patrick Ewing, Latrell Sprewell and Larry Johnson among the players from that era in the crowd, this one had some of that 1990s Knicks-Pacers fierceness in a game featuring five technical fouls.

Isaiah Jackson was called for a foul for a hard pick that knocked Donte DiVincenzo to the court in the first half. Hartenstein walked up and got chest-to-chest with Jackson, and Burks also came in and appeared to bring his hand up and make contact with Jackson. All three players were called for technical fouls.

Later, after DiVincenzo slammed down the miss of Brunson's jumper, he and Turner got tangled up as DiVincenzo tried to fight through a pick. They then screamed at each other after a foul was called and both were given technical fouls as the crowd chanted DiVincenzo's name while referees reviewed the play.

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New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson (11) gestures to fans after making a three-point shot during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

referee Scott Foster (48) gets in between Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, left, and New York Knicks' Donte DiVincenzo during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Alec Burks (18) shoots over Indiana Pacers' Ben Sheppard (26) during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson (11) gestures to fans after making a three-point shot during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Indiana Pacers' Andrew Nembhard (2) drives past New York Knicks' Alec Burks (18) during the first half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Miles McBride (2) defends Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Referee Scott Foster, left, separates Indiana Pacers' Isaiah Jackson (22) and New York Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the first half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Indiana Pacers' Aaron Nesmith (23) drives past New York Knicks' Josh Hart and Precious Achiuwa (5) during the first half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Isaiah Hartenstein, left, dunks the ball in front of Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner during the first half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, left, drives past Indiana Pacers' Aaron Nesmith during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson (11) gestures to fans after making a three-point shot during the second half of Game 5 in an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. The Knicks won 121-91. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

CHICAGO (AP) — Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes combined on a four-hitter, and the New York Yankees clinched their 32nd straight winning season by blanking the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Saturday.

Schmidt pitched 4 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his first big league game since May 26. Cortes (9-10) closed it out in his first relief appearance since 2021.

Coupled with Baltimore's 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay, New York moved back into first in the AL East. The Yankees (82-60) lead the Orioles by a half-game.

Cortes admitted he was upset when he learned he was going to pitch in relief.

“I’m never going to back down from a challenge,” Cortes said. “I’m never going to leave my teammates out to dry. You’re always going to get my best effort no matter if I’m happy or not. That’s what I did today. I came out there and proved I can be put in any situation. From here on out, if that’s my role, I’ll accept it.”

Schmidt had been sidelined by a right lat strain. He threw 75 pitches, 44 for strikes.

"I felt like I still had a lot of strength and I wasn’t fatiguing at all,” Schmidt said.

New York posted its second straight shutout to secure its first series win since it took two of three against Colorado from Aug. 23-25. The 32 straight seasons with a winning record is the second-longest such period in major league history, trailing a run of 39 consecutive seasons for the Yankees from 1926-64.

Chicago (72-70) has lost four of five on a crucial homestand as it tries to rally in the race for the third NL wild card. It beat Pittsburgh 12-0 on Wednesday, but it has managed a total of three other runs in its last five games, getting shut out three times.

“We feel like we have a good enough ballclub to be in the playoffs and in the picture, but we’re going to have to play a little bit better and keep pushing here,” left fielder Ian Happ said.

Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (7-5) allowed one earned run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.

New York scored its first run when Austin Wells drove in Gleyber Torres with a groundout in the first. The Yankees made it 2-0 in the sixth when Aaron Judge swiped third as part of a double steal and scampered home on catcher Christian Bethancourt’s throwing error.

Judge, who leads the majors with 51 homers, went 0 for 3 with a walk. He hasn’t homered in 11 games in his longest streak of the season.

The Cubs had their best scoring opportunity in the fifth. Pete Crow-Armstrong singled with one out, but was caught stealing. Patrick Wisdom then tripled to right, but he was stranded when Cortes got Bethancourt to foul out.

“He handled it really well, came into a high-leverage situation with a runner on third and got the job done,” Wells said of Cortes. “From there, cruised.”

Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo heard more cheers in his second game back at Wrigley Field since he was traded by Chicago to New York in July 2021. He tipped his cap before his first at-bat and reached second on Crow-Armstrong’s dropped catch in center.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Schmidt and RHP Ian Hamilton (right lat strain) were reinstated from the 60-day injured list before the game. RHPs Phil Bickford and Nick Burdi were designated for assignment.

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (left elbow tendinitis) was scheduled to play catch Saturday. He went on the 15-day IL on Wednesday. ... RHP Hayden Wesneski (right forearm strain) threw an inning at Triple-A Iowa.

UP NEXT

RHP Gerrit Cole (6-3, 3.65 ERA) is slated to start for New York on Sunday on his 34th birthday. RHP Jameson Taillon (9-8, 3.66 ERA) takes the mound for Chicago in the finale of the weekend set. Taillon went 22-11 with a 4.08 ERA with the Yankees in 2021 and 2022.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt reacts in the dugout after being pulled during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton, right, celebrates with teammate Gleyber Torres (25) after Torres scored on an Austin Wells ground out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Cubs starter Javier Assad delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a throwing error by the catcher during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

New York Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)