How It Happened:The Knicks were stuck in some sticky situations in another nail-biter on Monday night. After falling behind by 14 points in the first quarter and allowing Indiana to score 34, New York rallied in the second quarter to take control. An 11-5 Knicks run midway through the second period tied the game at 46-36 while the road team outscored the Pacers 40-24 in that crucial frame. The combination of Brandon Jennings, Justin Holiday, Willy Hernangomez, and Kyle O’Quinn helped to snatch the momentum and provide New York a 62-58 lead at the break.
The Knicks lead ballooned to 15 early in the third quarter when they raced out to a 13-2 start to the period. Indiana fought back and even trimmed the deficit to just one point after a Myles Turner putback jam with 2:05 on the clock. Carmelo Anthony took the reins by using some bully ball to score at the rack and give New York a three-point advantage with 1:07 remaining in the game. He then worked a perfect pick-and-roll play at the top of the arc with Derrick Rose where he slipped and forced Indiana to switch. Once Anthony realized he had the smaller man on his back, he lifted for a fading jumper to deliver the 105-103 lead and secure the much-needed victory for the orange and blue.
Knick of the Night:Anthony posted a team-high 26 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the floor and the clutch buckets down the stretch. In 33 minutes of court time, Anthony also snagged five boards and hit 7-of-8 at the free throw line.
Notables:Rose finished with 20 points and six assists, Hernangomez jumped off the bench to register 14 points and 10 boards, and Holiday recorded 13 points.
News and Notes: Lance Thomas was sidelined once again tonight due to the time needed on the practice floor with his face mask. The mask is geared to protect him from the orbital fracture suffered a couple of weeks ago.
Statistically Speaking:Several statistics will define this win for the Knicks. The bench crew accumulated 39 combined points, New York won the fast break battle 18-3, and most importantly, the Knicks attempted 35 free throws and hit 31 in the victory.
Next Up:The Knicks will continue the road trip to Dallas following tonight’s game. On Tuesday, the team is expected to practice in Dallas and then face the Mavericks on Wednesday night as it will mark the first meeting between the two teams this season.