NBA Game Notes (May 25, 2025)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 25, 2025.
Three Stars
The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.
First ⭐️
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter as the New York Knicks rallied to defeat the Indiana Pacers 106-100, trimming Indiana’s series lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Towns also hauled in a game-high 15 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. He shot 8-17 from the field (3-7 on 3-pointers) and 5-6 from the free throw line.
Second ⭐️
Tyrese Haliburton produced team highs of 20 points and seven assists (also a game high) in the Pacers’ loss to the Knicks. He also grabbed four rebounds and swiped a game-high three steals in 37 minutes played. He went 7-15 from the floor and made all four of his free throw attempts.
Third ⭐️
OG Anunoby scored 16 points as the Knicks came back to defeat the Pacers. Anunoby shot 6-9 from the field, hitting four of his six 3-point attempts. He also recorded a game-high three blocks and one steal in 37 turnover-free minutes.
Milestones
The New York Knicks, who were down 20 points in the second quarter, have won three games in the 2025 NBA Playoffs in which they’ve trailed by at least 20 points. No other team in the play-by-play era has recorded three such wins in a single postseason.
Leaguewide, there have been six 20-point comeback wins in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the most in a single postseason in the play-by-play era. As noted above, the Knicks are responsible for three of those wins, followed by the Indiana Pacers with two and the Oklahoma City Thunder with one.
The Knicks have won two games in the 2025 NBA Playoffs in which they trailed by double digits entering the fourth quarter. Only three other teams in league history have recorded multiple such wins in a single playoff run: the 2020 Miami Heat (two), the 2022 Memphis Grizzlies (three), and the 2023 Heat (two).
Streaking
Jalen Brunson (23 points) has scored at least 15 points in each of his last 39 playoff games, the longest such streak in New York Knicks history by 18 games. He’s averaging 30.1 PPG and 6.9 APG over that span.
The Indiana Pacers have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 19 playoff games, the franchise’s longest such streak since joining the NBA in 1976. They’re averaging 117.2 PPG with 51.1/38.9/78.5 shooting splits over that span.
Miscellany
Towns was the night’s leading scorer, bagging 24 points. He was followed by Brunson with 23 points, Haliburton with 20, and the Pacers’ Myles Turner with 19.
Town was also the night’s leading rebounder, securing 15 boards. The Knicks’ Josh Hart ranked second with 10 rebounds, while the Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith placed third with seven.
Haliburton was the top playmaker last night, handing out seven assists. Hart was runner-up with four dimes.