The Pacers (14-40) brought a conference-worst record into Madison Square Garden tonight. They average 110 points per game, practically the worst in the league. Their hosts, the New York Knicks (34*-20), had won nine of their last ten and were climbing up the power rankings again. Games don’t get more lopsided than this. Still, somehow, the dregs of the league always want to stick it to the Knicks, playing like it’s the deciding game of a playoff series and some degenerate gambler has their dog at gunpoint.
It took 39 lead changes, the most in an NBA game this season, and an overtime period to declare a victor: Pacers, 137-134.
Quoth RandleTripleDouble: “I hate the Pacers. That’s all.”
Congratulations to Josh Hart, who moved into third place for most triple-doubles in franchise history. He was New York’s most consistent player, finishing with a team-high +13, 15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals on 5-of-8 shooting.
In a fast-paced first quarter, the Pacers got three-pointer fever. Indy averages 36.5 attempts from deep and tried 17 in the first period alone, swishing seven of them. Andrew Nembhard (24 PTS, 10 AST) and Ben Sheppard (10 PTS, 7 RBS) combined for five of those dingers. Meanwhile, the Knicks whiffed on five of their seven triple-tries, and although Brunson recorded 11 points in the frame, he struggled to find the touch from range, missing thrice. Jalen finished the night with a stat-line of 40 points, eight assists, five boards, and 15-of-31 FG, 4-of-14 3PT.
Playing without OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks inserted Landry Shamet in the starting lineup. He finished tonight with 17 points on 6-of-14. Lacking Landry’s punch, the bench scored 18 points.
This was very much a defense optional game from the start. Before the midway point, the Knicks held a seven-point lead, but in a quarter with 12 lead changes, no advantage lasted long. The pesky Hoosiers were determined to give our heroes a fight, and neither team bothered to apply defensive pressure. Then, with two minutes left in the quarter, Jose Alvarado and his trademark hustle made his Madison Square Garden debut. On the Pacers’ final possession of the quarter, Jose stabbed the ball from Pascal Siakam, helping to preserve a 33-32 Knicks lead. Siakam finished with 30 points, six boards, three steals, and shot 11-of-26 FG, 3-of-10 3PT, and 5-of-10 FT.
For the second straight game, Alvarado handled the playmaking duties to start the second quarter, while Tyler Kolek watched from the bench.
The Knicks continued to patiently stand by while their guests rained threes. How hospitable! In a 13-point turnaround, the Pacers went up by seven by the middle of Q2. Siakam led the offense, scoring at all three levels, while Sheppard and Quenton Jackson produced at both ends.
When Brunson returned, he and Towns finally gained some separation late in the half. Towns exerted himself inside, scoring on a dunk and putbacks, drawing fouls, and sweeping the glass. Hart filled in the gaps, dishing nine of New York’s 17 first-half assists. Josh was the only Knick not in double-digit points by intermission, with the Knicks ahead 69-63.
Here’s a beauty of a pass from KAT. He’d finish with a 22-point, 14-board double-double.
Through the first half, the home team shot 59% from the floor and won the glass (22-14), paint (30–20), and fast-break points (16-7). The visitors, who normally shoot 35% from deep, had hit 11-of-25 from three (44%).
In the third quarter, the Knicks played better defense, but the game repeated the flip-flop pattern of the first half. Fatigue was setting in. The refs weren’t calling a lot of fouls, so the pace was steady and exhausting through most of the period.
For Indiana, Jackson and Aaron Nesmith hit early threes, and Siakam scored at the line. New York stayed close through Brunson’s shot-making and Hart’s all-around play—he hit pull-up threes, grabbed more boards, and nicked a timely steal. Despite all that, T.J. McConnell sliced up the Knicks defense and cut the score to 94-93 heading into the final frame.
Refusing to quit, Indiana countered every one of New York’s punches. McConnell and Jalen Huff scored inside, and the see-saw on the scoreboard persisted. Mikal Bridges answered with a fadeaway, but turnovers proved costly for the home team. Midway through the quarter, Nembhard led Indy on a 9-3 run to go ahead by three.
Down by two with just under five minutes left, our heroes needed someone to provide some pep after such a slog of a game. Enter: Jose. After a juke at the corner, Alvarado snaked his way along the baseline for a sweet layup that brought the crowd to its feet. Jose finished the night with four points on 1-0f-5 shooting, but dished three dimes.
Briefly, the momentum teetered in our direction, but was wrangled back by Nembhard, Nesmith, and Siakam.
Captain Clutch drove for a layup and then converted a free throw after drawing contact to pull the Knicks within one, 121–120, with 1:30 left. Both sides missed (Siakam, Brunson), and with 42 seconds left, a coach’s challenge overturned a Shamet foul. New York got possession from the jump ball, but Cap missed an off-balance 14-footer. With 13 seconds to go, Siakam made a jumper, pushing Indy’s lead to three.
Out of a timeout, Brunson missed again from beyond the arc. KAT and Potter crashed the boards; Indiana knocked it out of bounds. Bridges was fouled and hit the two freebies. The Hoosiers regained possession with a 1-point lead and six seconds left. New York fouled Siakam, who missed the first free throw. He made the second, the ball reached Shamet, who bricked from deep. Towns thundered in for the rebound and was fouled by Nesmith with 0.2 seconds left. KAT made them both send the game to overtime. For as maddening as his offensive fouls and complaining to refs can be, moments like that at the end of the game are sweet redemption.
During bonus basketball, New York looked very thirsty for Gatorade. Hart and Shamet combined for three misses, Towns fouled with a moving screen, and Brunson was blocked by Nesmith at the rim. On the other end, Jackson, Siakam, and Nembhard scored to go up by nine with 50 seconds on the clock. Brunson scored on a drive, and Shamet added a trey to make the deficit four with 12 seconds to go.
Hart fouled Siakam, who missed both free throws. Diawara grabbed the rebound and called a timeout. Nine seconds left. Bridges inbounded to Hart, who got the ball to Captain Clutch—who shook off Nesmith to nail the three. Five seconds left. Out of a timeout, Brunson fouled Jackson. He made both. Three-point game, four seconds left. Shamet got the ball on the next possession, was fouled before he could attempt a three, and missed both at the stripe. Ballgame.
Up Next
The Knicks zip down to Philly for a scrap with the Sixers tomorrow. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup Final doesn’t count.
