Towns, Knicks charge back from 20 down to stun Pacers in Game 3

INDIANAPOLIS — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter Sunday and Jalen Brunson had 23 points as the New York Knicks rallied from 20 points down to beat the Indiana Pacers 106-100 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Towns also had 15 rebounds as the Knicks cut the series deficit to 2-1 despite having Towns and Brunson in foul trouble most of the game. Game 4 will be played Tuesday night in Indianapolis.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points and six assists. Myles Turner had 19 points as Indiana dropped to 0-4 all time playing on the same day the Indianapolis 500 was held.

Team officials handed out gold-and-blue T-shirts with the words “Vroom Baby” to celebrate the rare Pacers and racers doubleheader after Spain’s Álex Palou kissed the bricks.

Palou received a rousing standing ovation during the second quarter — just as Indiana started pulling away to a 55-35 lead with 3:20 left in the half in front of six players from Indiana’s 2000 Eastern Conference champions, including Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.

But the Pacers failed to put this one away after holding a 68-52 lead early in the third quarter.

New York charged back, cutting the deficit to 80-70 after three. Then behind the strength of Towns and the nimbleness of Brunson, New York finally took an 89-88 lead on Brunson’s basket with 7:10 to play. The Knicks never led by more than four until the final free throws with 2.6 seconds left.