NBA playoffs 2025 - The pressure point deciding the conference finals - ESPN

With just under six minutes remaining in Sunday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks tried a new defensive tactic.

The Knicks typically set up their base defense deep in their own end, and to that point in the series, they had never sent more than one player to apply more than light pressure after a made free throw. But after Karl-Anthony Towns sank a freebie late in a must-win game, with his team clinging to a 91-90 lead after a surprising comeback, the Knicks sent not one, not two, but three different defenders to the backcourt to add pressure on the ball.

First, Miles McBride and Mikal Bridges double-teamed Tyrese Haliburton, forcing the inbounds pass to Pascal Siakam instead of the Indiana Pacers' potent point guard. Then OG Anunoby picked up Siakam early, leading to a trap and nearly a steal at midcourt.

Finally, with about half the shot clock already gone, the Pacers got into their offense with a lazy pick-and-roll. But the Knicks switched, and the ball didn't enter inside the 3-point line until the Pacers had seven seconds to shoot. All Siakam could do as the shot clock wound down was jab step and force a contested midrange jumper — one of the sport's least efficient shots.

The Knicks used more ball pressure in the fourth quarter of Game 3 than any previous stretch of the conference finals. Here, they deny Haliburton and force a stagnant Pacers play on a crucial possession. pic.twitter.com/92piitqKqy

The Knicks had forced a stagnant possession and successfully staved off a Pacers scoring chance. Haliburton never touched the ball. And on the next play, Towns hit a 3-pointer to widen New York's lead and close out the Pacers 106-100 to notch their first win in the series.

Ball pressure — who