After finding some life in Game 3, securing the win 106-100 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks fell back to earth in a major way in Game 4, dropping the contest 130-121 in an ugly outing that saw Tyrese Haliburton turn in a historic performance.

Suddenly, the Knicks' collective backs are against the wall, with one more loss at home or on the road resulting in a premature end to their season without a chance to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

So, after watching a borderline must-win game on the road go the Pacers' way, what did Thibodeau tell his team? Well, as he noted after the game, Thibodeau's message was not much different from what he normally tells his team.

“And again, it's not going to change. You go into the playoffs with the understanding of what each game is. And so after each game, you have to analyze why you either have won or lost, then make your corrections and get ready for the next game. And so the important thing is to reset. You're not playing the series. You're playing the game,” Tom Thibodeau explained.

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“So what do we have to do to win that game? That's all you do. Each game is different. And have that understanding. There's a lot of emotional highs and lows in the playoffs. You've got to reset and get ready for the next game. And hopefully, you've built that habit throughout the course of the year of understanding how important each game is, each quarter is, every play, how important that is as well.”

With some time to focus on their loss, recover from the grind, and get back to New York, the Knicks will get to make adjustments at least one more time before their season comes to an end. With a passionate fanbase desperate to see them succeed, the Knicks will live or die based on their performance in Game 5 and how well they can counterpunch what the Pacers throw their way.