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If the New York Knicks fail to recover in the Eastern Conference Final, they're going to be seeing visions of Pascal Siakam in their dreams throughout the offseason. Indiana's star forward torched the Knicks inside Madison Square Garden throughout Friday's scintillating performance in Game 2 as the Pacers took a commanding lead in the series behind Siakam's playoff-best 39 points.

Here's an alarming stat that could haunt the Knicks with the series heading back to Indiana: no team in NBA history has ever turned back an 2-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals after losing the first two games of the series at home.

Knicks vs. Pacers is a 100 mph chess match -- and Indiana's got New York in check
James Herbert
Knicks vs. Pacers is a 100 mph chess match -- and Indiana's got New York in check

New York's first conference final appearance in 25 years will be short-lived if the Knicks don't find a way to claw their way back in the series. 

Siakam sank 15 of the 23 shots from the floor en route to a season-high explosion, scoring several times in transition with leak outs and an elite athleticism.

"That's why we brought him here," Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said of Siakam. "That's what he's here to do. He can get a bucket in so many different ways. He started the game hot, we just kept feeding him. He did a good job of making big shot after big shot after big shot. 

"Killing momentum, I think when you're in an environment like this, the crowd is getting into it. A lot of those shots can be backbreakers at times," Haliburton continued. "He just kept making big play after big play. He was amazing for us. A big reason why we won today."

All eyes on Sunday's Game 3 

No one saw this two-game hole coming for the Knicks, who have lost home-court advantage in the series against a team that's won four of five games at home in the postseason. 

If there's a silver lining for New York trying to make history, it's that the Knicks are 5-1 on the road in the playoffs. None of that matters if Tom Thibodeau's lineup fails to contain Siakam, who made three times as many shots as any other player for the Pacers on Friday night.

"Special game," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "In the first half, he was the guy that got us going and got us through some difficult stretches."

Siakam did most of his damage in the first half while his teammates struggled to find a rhythm. He scored 23 points by halftime and kept the Pacers within striking distance.

"I just came out aggressive. At the end of the day, like, we're a team," Siakam said. "It doesn't matter who scores. That's what I love so much about this team is like, we don't care about who scores. We just want to win the game. So, I got it going early and the guys did a good job finding me. 

"And again, another night it's going to be somebody else, you know? And that's what makes us special."