TIME CHANGE: Thursday's Pacers game against the Celtics has been moved to 7 PM ET
Matchup
On Monday night, the Pacers escaped with a victory in their first one-possession game of the season, a 107-105 win over the Wizards.
In the victory, it was predictably Paul George who carried the team down the stretch, making scoring look elementary in the final minutes of the game. But the final moment was owned by Thaddeus Young, who ended up with the ball on the team's final possession and was able to get his defender on his hip, flipping up a shot with his dominant hand that sailed through the hoop for the game-winner.
Indiana (15-14), however, will have little time to celebrate the last-second victory, as it travels to the Big Apple to take on a Knicks team that has had two full days of rest since their last game.
And although the Knicks (14-13) have lost three consecutive games, all indications point to the return of Derrick Rose, who sat out the last two games with back spasms.
At the height of their season so far, the Knicks were 14-10 and looking like a surprise team in the East. The acquisitions of Rose and Noah, coupled with the rapid development of Myles Turner's fellow 2015 draftee Kristaps Porzingis, has given Carmelo Anthony surrounding talent that has been lacking in recent years for New York.
Turner and Porzingis — drafted seven spots apart from one another — had a memorable battle this past February, when Turner scored 24 and Porzingis tallied 22, nearly tying the game with a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
"It was great," George said about the matchup between the two young players. "They're going to go at it for many years. These two kids are really, really, really good."
Monta Ellis, who is still rehabbing his sore groin, will not make the trip to New York, clearing the way from Glenn Robinson III to start his sixth consecutive game.
Against the Wizards, Robinson III didn't have his best game, going just 2-of-5 with four rebounds. His substitute, C.J. Miles, was more effective in his time on the court, finishing the game with a +11 plus/minus.
But even as Robinson III adjusts to the shooting guard position, he's contributed valuable plays to the lineup, including grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds during the Pacers' road win against the Pistons on Saturday.
With the Pacers set to tipoff in New York at 7:30 p.m., less than 24 hours from their last tipoff, Indiana will to fight through heavy legs as the Knicks bring a fully rested team into Tuesday night's meeting.
Projected Starters
Jeff Teague
Glenn Robinson III
Paul George
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Derrick Rose
Courtney Lee
Carmelo Anthony
Kristaps Porzingis
Joakim Noah
Pacers: PG - Jeff Teague, SG - Glenn Robinson III, SF - Paul George, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Knicks: PG - Derrick Rose, SG - Courtney Lee, SF - Carmelo Anthony, PF - Kristaps Porzingis, C - Joakim Noah
Injury Report
Pacers: Monta Ellis - out (right groin strain), Rodney Stuckey - out (left hamstring strain)
Knicks: None
Last Meeting
April 12, 2016: In a game that clinched the seventh seed for the Pacers, Indiana was able dispatch the Knicks 102-90 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Knicks were without several key players in the game, but still managed to take a halftime lead. In the second half, however, Indiana found its game, using a 17-2 run to seize permanent control of the game.
"We really wanted to share the ball," Ian Mahinmi said. "We wanted to come out, wanted to play for each other, wanted to move the ball from one side to the other. We wanted to run on deflections and stuff like that. I think when we play aggressively like that and move the ball like that, we're a very hard team to beat."
The win enabled the Pacers to rest their key players for the seasons's 82nd game, giving them full rest for their first-round matchup.
Noteworthy
- Pacers forward Kevin Seraphin spent last season on the Knicks.
- Al Jefferson and C.J. Miles were both coached by Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek when he was an assistant with the Utah Jazz.
- Both Courtney Lee and Jeff Teague are graduates of Pike High School in Indianapolis.
Tickets
The Pacers return home on Thursday for a Hickory game against Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics. Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Away Game Night Special
Hoop Set - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »