Facing a nine-point deficit to the Indiana Pacers heading into halftime, the New York Knicks were in need of a momentum swing in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein provided one, swishing home a 46-foot shot to end the second quarter and keep New York in striking distance.
ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN FROM HALFCOURT 🚨
— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2024
Pacers up 55-49 at halftime on TNT. pic.twitter.com/HFOuT90bGY
Hartenstein's heave is the longest field goal of his career, regular season or playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Only Boston Celtics guard Derrick White has had a longer field goal this postseason -- an 86-footer in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Miami Heat.
It is also the longest field goal by a Knicks player in a playoff game since at least the start of the play-by-play era in 1996-97.
The Pacers outscored the Knicks by nine points in the second quarter to take the lead. New York won all three games in its first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers when it trailed at halftime. The Knicks have not won four straight playoff games when trailing at halftime in the shot clock era, dating to 1954-55.
Jalen Brunson had 18 first-half points, while Josh Hart had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Brunson and Hart scored or assisted on 39 of New York's 49 first-half points.
