Jalen Brunson returns from foot injury, sparks Knicks past Pacers for 2-0 lead in East semifinals

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson returned from a right foot injury to score 24 of his 29 points in the second half, leading the New York Knicks to a 130-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On the anniversary of Willis Reed’s dramatic emergence from the locker room before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to lead the Knicks to their first title, Brunson sent the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy when he came out to warm up at halftime after missing the entire second quarter while the Pacers surged ahead to a double-figure lead. The Knicks moved halfway to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000.