“I’m trying to keep my cool”: Stephen A. Smith goes off at Jalen Brunson and Knicks after Pacers’ heroics at the Garden 

Similar to all New York Knicks fans, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith was also stunned after the Indiana Pacers clinched Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on Friday to go up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals series.

Postgame, Smith vented out his frustrations over the loss on X/Twitter.

“I’m trying to keep my cool, you know?” Smith said. “There’s always hope. But I don’t understand for the life of me how in the hell Tom Thibodeau has KAT playing just 28 minutes. He’s gonna try to tell us it was defense! But with Mitchell Robinson on the court, the deficit increased. Jalen Brunson…that shot at the end of regulation? Don’t know what that was about.

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I don't know what else to say. I mean...I do know what to say, but don't want to. I don't want to. I don't know what Thibs was doing tonight. I have no clue! I have no idea! ...Looks like we're going home. Looks that way! Don't know if it is that way!" he added.

After the Knicks blew a historic playoff lead in the final moments of Game 1, they had a chance to be on the other side on Friday.

The Pacers led by 10 points with just under three minutes to play in Game 2, and the Knicks chipped away at the lead to just one in the final 20 seconds. However, after Jalen Brunson misfired a potentially game-tying 2 with eight seconds remaining, the Knicks slipped 114-109 to lose their second straight game at MSG.

The ECF series now moves to Indiana, where New York will look to bounce back in Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday.

Jalen Brunson joins elite company on historic playoff list despite Game 2 loss

In Game 2 on Friday, Jalen Brunson finished with 36 points, 11 assists, three rebounds and one steal while shooting 13-for-27 from the field. Though his monster performance was not enough to clinch the Knicks the win, Brunson joined elite company on a historic playoff list with his seventh playoff game with at least 30 points and 10 assists.

As per StatMuse only LeBron James (23) and Michael Jordan (15) are above him on the list.

Brunson is averaging 30.4 ppg, 7.7 apg and 3.3 rpg in the ongoing playoffs while shooting 45.6%, including 35.8% from deep, as he led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. The star guard seemingly needs to be even more efficient to overcome the 0-2 deficit against the Indiana Pacers.

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Mathews Kannanthara

Mathews Kannanthara is a journalist and a basketball enthusiast who specializes in the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda. While his educational background lies in architecture, his passion for basketball has been nurtured through years of playing as captain for school and college teams, winning various tournaments along the way.

As a fan of the Golden State Warriors, Mathews is drawn to the leadership and the 'I can do all things' approach of 'Chef Curry.' He also holds fond memories of Kobe Bryant's legendary 60-point farewell game.

Mathews strives to deliver top-notch content by understanding his readers' preferences and conducting thorough research. Beyond basketball, Mathews puts his energy into music, showcasing his talent as a drummer.

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