Game Preview: Pacers at Knicks

Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

Indiana hopes to get back on track as they take on the New York Knicks for the third and final time this season. The contest at Madison Square Garden will kick off a three-game road trip for the Blue and Gold that will finish just in time for NBA All-Star 2024 in Indianapolis.

The Pacers (29-24) were defeated by the Knicks, 109-105, in the most recent meeting between the two teams, but things were a different story in the first matchup this season. Indiana earned a dominant 140-126 win over the Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse a little over a month prior when four Pacers ended the night with 20+ points, led by Myles Turner’s 28 points and Aaron Nesmith’s 25 points.

Indiana’s last time out, the Pacers were no match for the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night despite entering the game with momentum from back-to-back wins over Charlotte and Houston. The top-ranked shooting team in the league struggled to keep up with Stephen Curry, who recorded 42 points and racked up 11 3-pointers, and the Warriors as Indiana shot 48.1 percent (39-of-81) from the floor and 38.7 percent (12-of-31) from 3-point range. Indiana was also outrebounded, 49-30, and outscored, 64-44, in the paint.

Indiana’s slip up at home Thursday night could not dim Pascal Siakam’s light on this Pacers team as he recorded a team-high 16 points and eight rebounds. The new Pacer has averaged 22.3 points and a team-leading 7.0 rebounds in his 12 games in the Blue and Gold uniform. The five other Pacers in double-figures were supported by Turner’s 15 points and seven rebounds, while Jalen Smith recorded 14 points on a 6-of-6 shooting clip off the bench.

More recent trade products are bringing more light to Indiana as forward Doug McDermott, who was acquired from San Antonio in a three-team trade on Thursday, potentially makes his debut with the Blue and Gold Saturday night. Former Pacer McDermott played three seasons with the Pacers from 2018-2021 and is averaging 6.0 points per contest this season while shooting 47.2 percent from the field through his career.

The Knicks (33-19) also enter the matchup coming off of a similar loss, as they fell to Dallas, 122-108, Thursday night.

However, New York went without three of its best players as it struggles to remain healthy going into the All-Star break. Former Indiana University Hoosier OG Anunoby, who had been averaging 15.6 points per game since being traded to the Knicks on Dec. 30, underwent surgery on his right elbow on Thursday and will be evaluated in three weeks. Veteran forward Julius Randle, who had been averaging 24.0 points per contest, suffered a dislocated shoulder on Jan. 27 and has missed New York’s most recent five games.  In addition, All-Star reserve Jalen Brunson sprained his ankle last Tuesday and did not play in New York’s game against the Mavericks Thursday night.

Brunson has been ruled day-to-day as he recovers from his ankle injury. The guard has led New York in scoring 27 times this season and is averaging a team-leading 27.2 points and 6.4 assists per contest this season. He also recorded his fifth 40-point game of the season against the Pacers on Feb. 1.

Thursday’s matchup found New York opening with a brand-new starting lineup, featuring Precious Achiuwa, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride.  DiVincenzo led all scorers on the night with 36 points, while Josh Hart recorded his second triple-double of his career after notching 23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Aaron Nesmith, F - Pascal Siakam, C - Myles Turner

Knicks: G - Jalen Brunson, G - Donte DiVincenzo, F - Josh Hart, F - Bojan Bogdanovic, C - Precious Achiuwa

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (left hamstring injury management), Jalen Smith - questionable (lower back spasms)

Knicks: Jalen Brunson - questionable (sprained right ankle), Jericho Sims - questionable (illness), OG Anunoby - out (right elbow surgery), Isaiah Hartenstein - out (sore left Achilles), Julius Randle - out (dislocated right shoulder), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle surgery)

Feb. 1, 2024: The Indiana Pacers let the win slip away when they fell to the New York Knicks, 109-105, in the most recent matchup between the two teams. Though the Pacers led at the end of each of the first three quarters, New York outscored Indiana, 30-21, in the final frame with the help of a 12-0 scoring run that allowed them to gain the lead with less than five minutes remaining to play.

Jalen Smith notched 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor to go along with nine rebounds to lead the six Pacers players who ended the night in double figures. He was followed by Pascal Siakam’s 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, as well as Aaron Nesmith’s 17 points and six rebounds.

Indiana shot 45 percent from the floor while New York shot just 39.8 percent, but it was rebounding that may have lost the Blue and Gold the game. The Knicks outrebounded Indiana, 60-44, and outscored it, 62-48, in the paint.

While All-Star starter Tyrese Haliburton continued to play on limited minutes while managing a left hamstring injury, Indiana was also without leading bench scorer Bennedict Mathurin who missed his second straight game with a right toe sprain. New York was missing OG Anunoby (right elbow inflammation) and Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder).

All-Star reserve Jalen Brunson recorded 40 points on 15-of-30 shooting from the floor to lead New York to its ninth consecutive win. Donte DiVincenzo followed behind with 20 points.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

After the All-Star break, the Pacers will open the second half of the season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>