Pacers blow 16-point 2nd-half lead, Jalen Brunson 3 with 4.4 seconds left wins it for Knicks

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jalen Brunson scored 25 points, drilling a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left that served as the game-winner in the Knicks 114-113 win over the Pacers on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers led by as many as 16 points in the second half

The Pacers fell to 6-21 with their third straight loss. The Knicks, fresh off an NBA Cup title, improved to 19-7 with their sixth straight win.

Guard Mikal Bridges added 22 points for the Knicks. Guard Jordan Clarkson had 18. Guard Tyler Kolek had 16 points and 11 assists, and forward O.G. Anunoby had 16 points and a steal that ended the game. Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 31 points. Pascal Siakam scored 26 points and guard Bennedict Mathurin had 16 points and eight rebounds.

Here are three observations

Jalen Brunson, O.G. Anunoby steal game away in the clutch

The Knicks showed the strain of having to fly from Las Vegas after Tuesday night's NBA Cup title and centers Karl Anthony-Towns and Mitchell Robinson and swingman Josh Hart got the night off. However, the Knicks withstood flurries from the Pacers in the first and third quarters and found themselves in position to win the game with a few big plays at the end.

Jalen Brunson, the NBA Cup MVP, had just one fourth quarter field goal until the final seconds, but he drilled a step-back 3-pointer over Nembhard with 4.4 seconds to go. The Pacers called timeout to advance the ball, but O.G. Anunoby blanketed former teammate Pascal Siakam through a screen. He tripped Siakam up, grabbed the ball and took it the distance. He didn't score but that was enough to give the Pacers no chance at getting the ball back to their side of the floor and the clock ran out

Andrew Nembhard goes off

The Pacers were coming off a particularly brutal game as a collective with their 89-point effort against the Wizards on Sunday being one of their worst of the season. Andrew Nembhard had a particularly rough afternoon, making just 3 of 14 field goals including 1 of 7 from 3-point range for just seven points, nursing a sore calf and very much showing it.

But the time between games seemed to treat Nembhard very well as from the first quarter on his jumper was locked in. He drilled a 3-pointer from 27 feet on the Pacers' second offensive possession and he was on from there. He had 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting in the first quarter alone and only turned it up from there. By the break he had 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting including 2 of 3 from 3-point range. He had 26 points through three and then in the fourth he added five more points. He finished with 31 points on 12 of 19 shooting including 4 of 5 from 3-point range to go with four assists. He also played tough defense on Brunson for most of the night as Brunson was 10 of 23 from the floor.

Quenton Jackson late addition to starting lineup

Pacers guard Quenton Jackson said after practice Wednesday that he had some work with the Pacers starters, but fellow two-way contract guard Ethan Thompson was still in the starting lineup when it was announced about 30 minutes before tip. However, when the players actually took the floor, Jackson was on the floor with stalwarts Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam and Jay Huff.

Jackson made the most of the promotion, giving the Pacers good minutes at point guard and shooting guard. He scored 10 points on 3 of 7 shooting including 2 of 4 from 3. He also had four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs Knicks: Jalen Brunson 3 completes comeback for New York