After a poor showing in Game 4 when the Knicks fell to the Pacers by 32 points, New York needed a serious spark if they were going to best Indiana in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead. That spark was provided by Italian American Donte DiVincenzo, delivering an emphatic putback slam in the 3rd quarter of Game 5 to put Indiana’s back against the wall in what turned out to be the play of the night.
These types of energizing plays have become the norm for DiVincenzo, who routinely leaves Madison Square Garden on their feet with game-winning threes, high-flying dunks, and good ol’ New York trash talk. The latter was on full display following this jam as DiVincenzo did not shy away from getting in the face of Myles Turner, a 6’11” center over six inches taller than the Knicks guard.
When all was said and done, the Knicks secured a 30-point victory with the help of 44 points from Jalen Brunson. As for “The Big Ragu,” he finished the game with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in addition to 3 steals and 1 block in a stellar defensive performance. The former NBA champion has struggled from beyond the arc over his last two games, going 1-for-12 from three while shooting close to 25% overall in that span. However, DiVincenzo was scorching hot in his first three games of the series, averaging nearly 30 points and 6 three-pointers in Games 1 through 3, and will look to get back into this rhythm as the Knicks head back to Indiana for Game 6.
