Knicks Center Reveals X-Ray Result on His Shoulder After Game 4 Loss

Getty Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers reacts after scoring a basket in front of Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the New York Knicks.

A banged-up New York Knicks team dodged another bullet as center Isaiah Hartenstein’s X-ray on his shoulder returned negative following an ugly fall in their 121-89 Game 4 loss on Sunday, May 12, which allowed the Indiana Pacers to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“X-ray [result] came back fine,” Hartenstein told reporters after the Mother’s Day massacre at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “So probably it was a pinched nerve.”

The awkward fall occurred in the second quarter. While the X-ray did not show any structural damage, his shoulder bothered him for the rest of Game 4.

Hartenstein’s 2nd Qtr injury is clearly still bothering him. Key #Knicks piece

Asked if that pinched nerve needed to be fixed before Game 5, Hartenstein just shrugged it off.

“Everyone is playing through a lot of stuff,” Hartenstein said. “I’ll be fine.”

Isaiah Hartenstein says the X-ray on his shoulder “came back fine” and he should be fine for Game 5:

Hartenstein only played 24 minutes in the Knicks’ most lopsided loss in this year’s playoffs. He finished with a playoff-low four points and a series-low five rebounds.

The Knicks are already without Mitchell Robinson (ankle), OG Anunoby (hamstring) Julius Randle (shoulder) and Bojan Bogdanovic (foot). Their star point guard Jalen Brunson is hobbling with a foot injury.

The Pacers exploited the Knicks’ shorthanded rotation with a relentless pressure defense and running game as they led by as many as 43 points.

The series returns to Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday. They have only lost once at the Garden — Game 6 — of their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Game 5 Loss ‘Not Respectful’ to Knicks Fans

Hartenstein felt they let their fans down after the embarrassing loss on the road.

Their 32-point loss was the fourth-largest margin of defeat in the playoffs in franchise history after losing to the Bulls by 41 in 1991, 40 to the 76ers in 1978 and 35 to the Pistons in 1990.

Hartenstein and the Knicks are looking forward to bouncing back in front of their passionate fans.

“Nothing is like the Garden,” Hartenstein told reporters. “We have to really get back to playing our basketball, coming back to playing for the fans like that. Because the way we played, especially today, was not respectful to the fans and how they support us.”

Isaiah Hartenstein on returning to MSG for G5: “Nothing is like the Garden. We have to really get back to playing our basketball, coming back to playing for the fans like that. Because the way we played, especially today, was not respectful to the fans and how they support us.”

The Pacers are preparing for it.

“Enjoy it now but as soon as we leave this building we’ve gotta flush it,” Pacers guard TJ McConnell told reporters. “What we’re walking into at MSG is gonna be a hellacious crowd…We have to really be ready & locked in.”

McConnell was one of the difference-makers for the Pacers in their rousing win. He finished with 15 points and 10 assists off the bench on top of hounding Brunson.

Jalen Brunson Insists He’s Fine

Brunson took accountability of their loss and refused to use the Knicks’ mounting injuries as an excuse.

“We can talk about fresher legs and give us all the pity that we want,” Brunson told reporters. “Yeah, we’re short-handed but that doesn’t matter right now. We have what we have and we need to go forward with that. There is no ‘we’re short-handed.’ There’s no excuse. There’s no excuse whatsoever. If we lose, we lose.”

Jalen Brunson on if the Pacers’ depth and fresh legs are giving the short-handed Knicks problems:

“There is no ‘we’re short-handed.’ There is no excuse. There’s no excuse whatsoever. If we lose, we lose.”

Brunson landed on Aaron Nesmith’s foot in the opening minutes of the game which ESPN analyst JJ Redick said should have been a foul.

The Knicks star was already nursing a sore foot since Game 2. He was adamant the injury isn’t affecting his burst and speed.

“I’m fine,” Brunson said. “I’m fine.”

Jalen Brunson on if he feels like he has less lift or burst:

“I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Brunson entered Game 4 as the scoring leader in the playoffs. He finished with only 18 on 8 of 17 shooting in just 31 minutes, watching the fourth quarter from the bench.