It’s rare that both MSG tenants are playing at the same time during the spring. In recent memory, there haven’t been many moments when the Rangers and Knicks were in the second round with a real chance to reach the Conference Finals .

A year ago, the Rangers fell apart in a crushing first round loss to the Devils. Meanwhile, the Knicks took out the Cavaliers to advance to the second round. They were eliminated by the Heat.

Before 2023-24, the last time both the Knicks and Rangers played in the second round together was in 2012-13. The Knicks ousted the Celtics and took on the Pacers. Irony of ironies. The Rangers took out the Capitals to face the Bruins. Neither team made it out of the second round. The Rangers were no match for the Bruins. The Knicks lost in disappointing fashion to the Pacers.

Eleven years later, here we are again. This time, thanks to a dominant Knicks 121-91 win over the Pacers in Game 5 at a raucous MSG last night, both Garden teams are a win away from the Conference Finals.

It came on the heels of a 32-point blowout loss at Indiana this past Sunday. The Pacers humiliated the Knicks. It’s already known as the Mother’s Day massacre. They looked sluggish. Jalen Brunson struggled on his bad foot. The only Knick who played well was Alec Burks. They got dominated by the younger Pacers.

Two days later, the Knicks flipped the script. After falling behind 16-9 early, they responded by outscoring the Pacers 29-16 to take a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Everyone contributed. Brunson had 10 points. Josh Hart had 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein had five offensive rebounds and two put backs. He was instrumental in tying Charles Oakley for the Knicks’ franchise playoff record with 12 offensive rebounds in a game. Deuce McBride had nine points while locking up Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Donte DiVicenzo didn’t score much but played tenacious defense throughout the game. It was during the second half that a relentless DiVicenzo came out of nowhere and slammed home a rebound that got the crowd in a frenzy. He then got into it with Myles Turner after he set a dirty screen. Turner put DiVicenzo in a headlock. After getting in each other’s faces, cooler heads prevailed.

How dominant were the Knicks in the biggest game of their season? After Turner sank three consecutive three’s to cut a 16-point lead to seven early in the third quarter, the Knicks went on a 17-0 run. Burks hit a big corner trey to answer back. He came off the bench and had 18 points, including five three’s. Brunson made a three. So did McBride.

If there was a noticeable difference, it was the Knicks’ effort that shined brightly under the spotlight. They outhustled the Pacers by dominating the game on the glass. They outrebounded Indiana 53-29. That included 20-5 on the offensive glass. Hartenstein paced them with 17 boards.

Hart again grabbed double digits with 11. Listed at only six-foot four, you wouldn’t know it. Hart plays like a junkyard dog. He takes the ball hard to the rim and finishes. When he’s on, he puts together games like the 18 and 11 he had on Tuesday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Brunson only went for 44 points while adding seven assists and four rebounds. No Pacer defender slowed him down. He only had two three’s. He was much more aggressive and finished inside the paint. The people’s MVP posted his fifth 40-point game of the playoffs. He’s reached Bernard King territory. Not even Carmelo Anthony ever dominated like this. Patrick Ewing wasn’t as explosive.

Brunson plays every possession like it’s his last. The Rangers should take notice. Considering how lackluster they were in a dreadful third period that saw the much hungrier Hurricanes score four times to take Game 5 on Monday night, they must play with a lot more intensity tomorrow night at Carolina.

Since Artemi Panarin scored a between the legs overtime winner in Game 3 to put the Rangers up three games to none on the Hurricanes, he’s been invisible. The only time you noticed him was on a couple of lousy defensive sequences in which he failed to backcheck on a pair of Carolina goals. That included Evgeny Kuznetsov’s game-winner in Game 5.

Panarin had been getting it done previously. He had four goals and five assists for nine points in the Rangers’ first seven games. All four goals were game-winners. In the last two games (both losses), he only totaled two shots. Hardly enough for a player who had a dominant regular season with a career high 49 goals and 120 points.

The Bread Man has been on for five goals against over the last two games. Vincent Trocheck hasn’t been any better. Despite continuing to win faceoffs, he wasn’t effective either. With the exception of Alexis Lafreniere scoring a tying goal in Game 4 when he was out with Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers’ best line has been quiet since the Canes got back in the series.

There needs to be more urgency. If the Knicks can go from getting blown out to again rising up to the challenge at MSG, then the Blueshirts sure can. They earned home ice with the league’s best record. Now, it’s all about giving their best effort on the road tomorrow to avoid facing elimination this weekend. It was a scenario that didn’t seem likely a few days ago.

Unlike the Knicks, whose best player is playing hurt and is shorthanded, the Rangers are healthy. Even if Adam Fox is also playing hobbled, there’s no excuses. Brunson didn’t make any following Sunday’s embarrassment. He then backed it up with another great performance.

If it’s true that Panarin and Fox haven’t been factors over the last two games, the same can be echoed for Trocheck, Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider. They’re the five best skaters who coach Peter Laviolette has leaned on. Especially on the power play, which hasn’t scored since Game 2.

The Blueshirts have more talent than the Knicks. But the Knicks play with more grit and determination.

That isn’t a knock on the bottom six. Will Cuylle, Alex Wennberg, Kaapo Kakko, Barclay Goodrow, Jimmy Vesey, and Matt Rempe bring plenty of energy. Jonny Brodzinski likely will replace Rempe tomorrow unless Filip Chytil can return. They chip pucks in and win board battles. There isn’t much offense from the sandpaper guys.

It’s up to the Rangers’ best players to bring it. It can’t be a shooting gallery on Igor Shesterkin for the Hurricanes in Game 6. They outskated and outplayed the Blueshirts badly on Monday. There can’t be a repeat.

There hasn’t been enough of a consistent forecheck from the top two lines. Laviolette isn’t going to toss names into a hat like his predecessor. The bottom line is that they need to be harder on pucks. They never pressured a shaky Frederik Andersen. It was as if he was on a cruise.

The battle level must rise significantly. Look at how much the Knicks hustle. There needs to be that kind of desperation from the Rangers.

Laviolette spoke yesterday about how this team has responded well following bad losses. He’s correct. There was a similar meltdown in a loss at home to the Maple Leafs on Dec. 12. They turned the page by winning the next three, including at Boston and Toronto a week later.

There’s no panic in the locker room. That’s fine. When the puck is dropped tomorrow night in Raleigh, it becomes about the performance. It’s time to back up the talk.

They must show heart. The Knicks showed them how it’s done. Now, it’s their turn.