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 🚨
Pacers up 55-49 at halftime on TNT. pic.twitter.com/HFOuT90bGY
— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2024
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 playoffs — an 86-footer in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Miami Heat.
It is also the longest by a Knicks player in a playoff game since at least 1996-97, the play-by-play era.
The Pacers outscored the Knicks by nine points in the second quarter to take the lead. New York won all three games in their first round series against the Philadelphia 76ers when they trailed at halftime. The Knicks have not won four straight playoff games when trailing at halftime in the shot clock era — 1954-55.
Jalen Brunson had 18 first half points, while Josh Hart had 11 points plus 7 rebounds. Brunson and Hart scored or assisted on 39 of New York’s 49 first-half points.