Paul George makes bold Knicks prediction amid 3-1 deficit vs Pacers: "I don't see it happening" 

On Thursday, the New York Knicks play a crucial Game 5 at Madison Square Garden to stay in the season. The Indiana Pacers lead 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals and could reach the NBA Finals. Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George states New York can't recover from a 3-1 deficit while discussing the series' potential outcome on his show, "Podcast P," with co-hosts Jackie Long and Dallas Rutherford.

"The Knicks have enough on roster," George said. "On paper, Knicks are phenomenal, they have star power. They have superstardom in Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns. They have enough.

Paul George believed his old club is more competitive and united than the third-seeded team.

"But, you're down 3-1 against a team that won't let up. They're relentless, they play hard, they play fast. And I think they're the most together team... That's an uphill climb if you're the Knicks, to try to go win three in a row. I don't see it happening."

There have been a few teams that have made complete comebacks from being down 3-1. However, only a handful of groups have been successful.

In Game 5, the New York team looks to spark a recovery against the Pacers.

---

A former NBA star suggests that the Knicks use their original starting lineup

In Games 3 and 4, New York opted to shake things up with their starting lineup. For more interior defense, coach Tom Thibodeau placed Mitchell Robinson as the starting center and moved Karl-Anthony Towns to the power forward. This moved Josh Hart to the second unit.

It worked in Game 3 as they captured a 106-100 victory. However, the tempo of Indiana was too much for the Pacers. With a larger lineup, the Knicks couldn't keep up, resulting in a 130-121 win.

On Wednesday, former NBA star Magic Johnson sent a message to New York on X (formerly Twitter). The Los Angeles Lakers legend asked the team to move Hart back to the starting lineup.

"A message to the New York Knicks: Go back to what got you to the Eastern Conference Finals - that’s having Josh Hart in the starting lineup," Johnson said.

With Josh Hart, New York can move freely on defense and keep up with the Pacers' pace. However, Kris Pursiainen reported that the team could use the same starting lineup for a third straight game.