Knicks vs Pacers: Brawls Take Over Game 5 as Donte DiVincenzo Joins Isaiah Hartenstein for 2nd Heated Altercation

The players from both sides literally seemed to have taken Game 5 as a battle. Amid the NY Knicks‘ offensive flurry tonight, the Indiana Pacers got caught up in two heated altercations on the court. The only commonality between these two altercations was both Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo were present. It all began when the Pacers’ Isaiah Jackson set a strong screen near the perimeter and DiVincenzo took a hard fall, slamming it in the first half.

Hartenstein immediately stepped forward to have a few words with Jackson. Before the situation got out of hand, the chief ref Scott Foster, along with other staff, stepped in to stop them.

Similarly, in the third quarter, Donte DiVincenzo once again took a fall while the Pacers’ big man Myles Turner guarded him. This time, the altercation turned slightly physical, and once again, Isaiah Hartenstein stepped in to separate his teammate from Turner. But, before that, DiVincenzo and Turner got into a heated exchange.

In the first altercation, Isaiah Jackson, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Alec Burks, who stepped into the fight at the end, got a technical foul each. Similarly, in the second altercation, both DiVincenzo and Turner received a tech each. Scott Foster & Co. had a busy night, throwing technical fouls all over the court.

Notably, in the second altercation, Foster stepped in to separate Turner from the ex-Dubs player, but instead, he ended up in the firing line. In the replay, Turner can be seen pushing Foster away, putting him in an uncomfortable position. Fortunately, the Pacers’ big man got away with a technical foul, or else the game could have recorded an ejection as well.

On the other hand, DiVincenzo had a tough night, shooting the ball. He shot 4-14 FG, recording back-to-back single-digit scores after a triumphant run in the series.

Will Donte DiVincenzo and Co. pull the plug on the Pacers?

The Indiana Pacers came right back into the series after producing back-to-back dominant wins. The Knicks felt the heat, as Tyrese Haliburton & Co. decimated the Big Apple side in Game 4 with a blowout 121-89 win. Notably, the Pacers used the home-court advantage and added pressure on the side. On the other hand, Haliburton can be seen trash-talking the players throughout the game.

After the loss, Jalen Brunson can be heard, saying, “It’s a long fu**ing series,” before heading into the locker room. However, JB didn’t have to wait for too long before giving back to the Pacers. The Indiana side suffered a taste of their own medicine, facing a 121-91 blowout loss. While Haliburton rocked the last three games, averaging 29.6 points, he could drop only 13 points with a 5-9 FG.

Currently, the Knicks are 3-2 up in the series with a massive advantage by their side. Historically, the team that won Game 5 after a 2-2 record, has gone on to win the series by 80%. However, it’s unfair to write off the Pacers early, as they can bounce back in Game 6 with their homecourt advantage.

Will the Pacers force Game 7? Let us know in the comments below.