OKC forward Dillon Jones (3) goes for a layup against the Timberwolves.

The New York Knicks rallied back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the home team Indiana Pacers, 106-100, before a disappointed sellout crowd in Gainbridge Arena in game three of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference championship playoff series.

Coming off two stunning victories in the first two games of this series at Madison Square Garden, the Pacers came out and dominated the visiting Knicks. And that was the case for the first 20 plus minutes of the contest as the Pacers stormed to a 20-point lead.

But in a playoff season that has seen 20-point leads evaporate faster than a popsicle in the middle of the Sahara Desert, the Pacers forgot their game plan. They ventured off into basketball never-never land, with the Knicks taking full advantage of their brainlocked status to the dismay of Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.

“We lost our focus and failed to execute after building double-digit leads in the first and second halves — very disappointing,” he said.

Major foul trouble to Knicks star players Jalen Brunson, who had four fouls in the first half, and Karl Anthony-Towns forced Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to expand his bench to nine players instead of his usual number of six to seven. Knicks reserve guard Miles McBride, who had nine huge points, was a key contributor in a Knicks run that cut the Pacers lead to 13 at halftime.

Indiana held leads as big as 17 in the second half before completely disintegrating at the offensive end of the court. To their credit, the Knicks kept playing tough at both ends of the floor, chipping away at the Pacers’ dwindling lead.

Karl Anthony-Towns went on a 20-point scoring explosion in the fourth quarter, after scoring just four points in the first three quarters, to get the Knicks even in the final minutes of regulation. Jalen Brunson, who had five fouls, returned to score the basket that gave the Knicks a lead that they did not relinquish. He sealed the victory for his team by hitting four clutch free throws in the final seconds.

The Knicks’ coach, Tom Thibodeau, said, “My team showed its guts and character when it counted most.”

“We are a team that never gives up and plays hard every minute of every game,” said Anthony-Towns.

“We let this game get away from us,” said Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. “We can’t let that happen again.”

The Pacers hold a two-gamesto-one lead going into game four of the series in Indiana.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have taken a commanding threegames-to-one lead in their best-ofseven Western Conference championship series with their 128-126 win over the home team Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder responded following an embarrassing 42-point loss to the Timberwolves in game three.

NBA Most Valuable Player and league-leading scorer Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 14 points in that record-setting loss, showed the world why he won the league’s top individual award with his scintillating play, 40 points, a career playoff high, with 10 assists and nine rebounds. He also was 12 for14 from the free throw line; making a pair with 6.1 seconds left to stretch the lead back to three.

“I tried not to worry too much about scoring or making plays or whatever it was,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I tried to just lose myself in the competition, be aggressive, pick my spots.”

Substantial contributions came from teammates Jalen Williams, who had 34 points, five assists, three steals, and Chet Holmgren, who had 21 points, seven rebounds and multiple blocked shots, backed up by solid team defense.

A special mention and kudos go to Luguentz Dort’s defense of Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards, who was held to 16 points.

Also, Wolves forward Julius Randle only scored five points on one-forseven shooting, which helped the Thunder shut down the Timberwolves at key moments of the game.

Winning the offensive rebounding and turnover statistics were also critical factors.

Wolves coach Chris Finch was asked about the Minnesota turnovers. He replied, “Absolutely, 40 between the two, you’re not going to beat a team like this if you’re turning it over 20 times and allowing them to have a bunch of second chance opportunities.” Further, Oklahoma City went 16 for 37 from three-point range after shooting a bleak 28% over their first six NBA playoffs road games.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, who has a 17-8 postseason coaching record, credited his team’s poise and ability to win, playing different styles, as part of the maturing of his young team. “This is all a new experience for this young team,” he said. “It’s the first time that we have been up 2-0 and 3-1 in a playoff series. How we handle things going forward will show us what we are really made of.”

“The bottom line,” said Daigneault, “is that we responded by following a 42-point beating with a hard-fought win.”

The series shifts back to Oklahoma City for game five and a closeout situation for the Thunder. Explaining what it will take to close the series, Daigneault said, “We are expecting Minnesota to come out with force, physicality, and the energy that they showed in these last two games. We must match it if we expect to win and close out this series.”

Shai’s cousin, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, had 23 points, a postseason career-high, Jaden Mc- Daniels, had 22 points, and Donte DiVincenzo had 21 points to lead Minnesota.