Brunson, Thibodeau Say 'No Lead Is Safe' After KAT, Knicks Rally to Beat Pacers in G3

The New York Knicks found out in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers how quickly a lead can vanish, but they were on the right side of a comeback on Sunday.

After New York overcame a 20-point deficit to beat the Pacers in Game 3, Knicks star Jalen Brunson shared his thoughts on a series that has seen each team make large comebacks.

"Unpredictable, obviously no lead is safe," he said. "Both teams are going to fight until the buzzer. Got a lot of respect for them over there, and we're just going to keep playing our style of basketball and keep grinding it out."

Head coach Tom Thibodeau shared similar sentiments.

"I know you guys roll your eyes when I say 'no lead is safe,' but no lead is safe," he said. "Because I think with the three-point shot, people make up ground quickly. Pace of the game, make up ground quickly. So, you see comebacks all the time. If you let up just a little bit, that's what happens. You got to win games different ways. Obviously, you prefer to play from a lead, but whatever it is that you have to do, that's what you have to do to get the win in the end."

In Game 1, the Knicks led by 14 points with less than three minutes to play, but the Pacers miraculously came back and ended up winning in overtime. After the loss, Thibodeau had the same message he did following the win in Game 3.

"They can score the ball. Aaron Nesmith got loose," Thibodeau said on Wednesday. "Tyrese Haliburton hit big shots. You just can never let your guard down against them. No lead is safe."

The comeback win for the Knicks on Sunday wasn't quite as stunning as the Pacers' in Game 1, but it might have saved New York's season.

Indiana held a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but the Knicks slowly chipped away before taking the lead halfway through the fourth. The lead changed several times in the final minutes before New York went up two, thanks to a clutch shot from Brunson heading into the last 60 seconds. From there, the Knicks were able to get some stops and ice the game at the free-throw line.

Brunson was in foul trouble for much of the game and had to spend a majority of the fourth quarter on the bench. That led to a massive effort from his co-star, Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns, who had just four points through the first three quarters, dropped 20 points in the fourth quarter alone. His 20 points matched the Pacers' point total in the fourth quarter. The first-year Knick also hauled in 15 boards in the win.

The Knicks are still down 2-1 in the series after dropping the first two games, but the momentum has shifted their way heading into a critical Game 4 on Tuesday in Indiana.

If New York can tie things up before heading back to Madison Square Garden, the series will have a completely different feel than it did before Sunday's game.

If there's one message Thibodeau will preach before Game 4, it's that no lead is ever safe in the postseason.