The Knicks have stumbled into a 0-2 hole in the Eastern Conference finals, failing to hold a 14-point lead as the Pacers' Pascal Siakam torched them for a playoff career-high 39 points.

After dropping Game 2 to the Pacers, the Knicks not only face a daunting 0-2 deficit but also the harsh reality that they've never come back from such a hole at home in the conference finals. Despite Jalen Brunson's valiant effort with 36 points, the Knicks struggled throughout, showcasing a troubling pattern of slow starts and a -50 combined plus-minus for their starters. If they want to keep their championship hopes alive, they’ll have to rediscover their late-game magic and learn how to stop a player like Siakam from making them look like a high school team.

The Knicks started Game 2 with the enthusiasm of a kid at an all-you-can-eat buffet, surging to a 14-point lead with 2:39 remaining in the game. Perhaps a tad too confident, they proceeded to watch it evaporate faster than a mirage in the desert. The final score was 114-109, something the Knicks might want to write in their journals under the title 'Lessons Learned.'

Siakam's 39 points were not just impressive; they were a masterclass in scoring. At this rate, he may soon be qualified to open a school for how to dominate in the fourth quarter. The Pacers, it seems, have decided that the best defense is to simply outscore their opponents into submission, and against the Knicks, they’re making significant headway.

Brunson may have been the shining star in an otherwise cloudy performance for the Knicks, boasting a stat line that included 36 points and 11 assists. But one has to wonder if he secretly wished he were playing on a trampoline, given how abruptly the Pacers were bouncing back and forth on the fastbreak. The Knicks were outpaced 24-12 in that category, leaving fans questioning if their team was equipped with sneakers or clogs.

This postseason, the Knicks have showcased a peculiar talent for slow starts. They seem to believe that warming up slowly is an effective strategy, like a tortoise taking a leisurely stroll while the hares score triple digits. Coach Tom Thibodeau indicated post-game that it’s time for the team to make better plays, particularly when the fourth quarter rolls around—the last-ditch effort for any respectable comeback attempt.

If New York wants to avoid a daunting scenario in the finals, they have to win four out of the next five games. After all, turning this playoff situation around has more pressure than a Michelin chef trying a new recipe with no practice.

While Mitchell Robinson provided a brief flicker of hope, leading a defensive charge, his efforts alone might not lift the team to new heights when most games feel like running uphill in molasses. The Knicks' starters’ combined -50 plus-minus across the postseason certainly isn’t a number to frame and hang on the wall. Depending on how things shake out, they might want to use it as a cautionary tale instead.

As the series moves to Indiana, the Knicks are reminded that historically, only teams that can process their failures learn how to avoid repeating them. With every game, their CSI team better get to work uncovering why they can't seem to hold leads, while their coaching staff might want to consider a changeup that includes some pep talks featuring motivational speeches and a few professional magicians to keep things interesting.

As the Knicks suit up for games three and four, fans in the stands will be hoping for signs of life—any glimmer that might suggest their team isn’t merely passing time and eating up playoff minutes. Patching up a record-tying comeback scenario may not seem probable, but retrofitting the present with just a dash of delayed reaction could be just what the orange and blue need to reclaim their wheelchair sports dreams.