2023-24 Game Preview

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Wheat Hotchkiss

Friday, May 17 at 8:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Pacers know what they have to do Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They must win Game 6 against the Knicks to extend their season and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday in New York, where the winner would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Indiana is facing elimination for the first time this postseason after dropping Game 5 on Tuesday night in New York, 121-91. The Knicks ran away from the Pacers at Madison Square Garden, outhustling and outplaying the Blue & Gold. Head coach Rick Carlisle said his young team learned "a hard lesson" from Tuesday's performance.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

The Knicks had 29 more shot attempts than Indiana thanks to their dominance on the boards in Game 5. New York outrebounded the Pacers 53-29 overall and 20-5 on the offensive glass, outscoring Indiana 62-36 in points in the paint and 26-9 in second-chance points. Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein had 12 offensive rebounds alone.

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson had another impressive performance, scoring 44 points and dishing out seven assists, but the Pacers aided New York's offense by committing 18 turnovers (and only forcing nine).

The good news for the Pacers is that the series is shifting back to Indianapolis, where the Blue & Gold are undefeated in the playoffs and beat the Knicks twice last season. In fact, Game 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday was pretty much a mirror image of Game 5, as the Pacers led 34-14 after the first quarter and stretched the margin as high as 43 points in a 121-89 victory.

After the two teams traded blowout victories, it would not be surprising if Game 6 is more tightly contested like the first three games of the series. The Knicks are trying to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, while the Pacers are hoping to extend their season and have a chance to move on to the third round for the first time in a decade.

The Knicks made some counters in Game 5, as head coach Tom Thibodeau elected to start 6-1 guard Miles McBride instead of 6-8 forward Precious Achiuwa. The smaller McBride took on the primary assignment of guarding Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, picking him up full court for most of the night. Haliburton finished with 13 points and five assists on nine shot attempts, his lowest scoring total since he tallied just six points in Game 1.

Haliburton responded well after Game 1, averaging 29.7 points over his next three games. The 24-year-old — who is playing in his first playoffs — vowed to be better in Game 6.

All season long, the Pacers have played some of their best basketball coming off a disappointing result. How Haliburton and his teammates respond to adversity this time will determine whether or not their season will continue.

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

Knicks: G - Jalen Brunson, G - Miles McBride, F - Donte DiVincenzo, F - Josh Hart, C - Isaiah Hartenstein

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (lower back spasms/sacral contusion/right ankle sprain), Bennedict Mathurin - out (right shoulder labral tear)

Knicks: OG Anunoby - out (left hamstring strain), Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 14, 2024: The Knicks won every quarter en route to a 121-91 win in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson scored a series-high 44 points on 18-of-35 shooting and dished out seven assists to lead the Knicks to victory. Josh Hart added 18 points and 11 rebounds, Alec Burks scored 18 off the bench, and Miles McBride scored 17 points.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 22 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Myles Turner added 16 points while going 4-for-7 from 3-point range.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

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

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17 at 8:30 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Knicks (Game 6)

Jordan Morey

Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

The Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks has morphed into a best-of-three games series.

Sixth-seeded Indiana will get another crack at taking a game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday after the Blue & Gold evened their playoff series with the No. 2 New York Knicks, 2-2, over the weekend in Indianapolis.

Indiana enters Game 5 with their most convincing victory over the Knicks yet: a&nbsp;121-89 thrashing at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday.

PLAYOFF CENTRAL:&nbsp;Follow Indiana's Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>

After leading by 20 points at the end of the first quarter of Game 4, the Pacers never let off the gas. At halftime,&nbsp;Indiana held a 69-51 advantage before the lead ballooned to 43 points in the second half.&nbsp;

Both sides emptied their benches in the fourth quarter, treating the final frame as a mere formality.

The 32-point win was just two points away from tying the&nbsp;largest&nbsp;margin of victory in a Pacers playoff win ever, and the biggest win by the Blue & Gold in the 2024 postseason.

The Pacers shot 56.8 percent as a team overall (45.2 percent from 3-point range) in Game 4 and held the Knicks to 33.7 percent from the field, including 7-for-37 from deep.

Six Pacers finished in double-digit scoring, led by 20 points from Tyrese Haliburton in 28 minutes and 15 points by T.J. McConnell off the bench. McConnell also dished out&nbsp;10&nbsp;assists to record his second postseason double-double ever.

Haliburton’s&nbsp;dominant play has proven vital to the&nbsp;Pacers'&nbsp;recent success. After a rough Game 1, where he only scored six points on as many shot attempts, Haliburton has averaged 29.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.3 rebounds over his last three games.

Indiana’s team&nbsp;defense made headlines in Game 4, especially for limiting Knicks volume scorer Jalen Brunson to 18 points on 6-for-17 shooting. No other Knicks player in the starting lineup recorded more than eight points in the game, and Alec Burks posted 20 points off the bench, while Miles McBride had 16 points in 32 minutes.

Brunson, who has carried the&nbsp;Knicks’&nbsp;offensive load all season, has seen his scoring numbers decrease each time out since logging 43 points in Game 1. His 18 points on Sunday were a playoff low for him.

Like every other game in the series thus far, both teams will keep an eye on the injury report leading up to the tip of Game 5.

The Knicks could be without ex-Indiana University Hoosier OG Anunoby for a third straight game on Tuesday, as he continues recovering from a calf injury sustained during Game 2. When Anunoby plays, the Knicks are 26-5 this season, including 2-0 against&nbsp;the&nbsp;Pacers in the playoffs.

RELATED: Pacers Not Getting Too High Despite Complete Performance in Game 4 >>

If the Pacers can win Game 5 at MSG, they will feel like they're in prime position to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999 season.&nbsp;

Game 6 will occur in Indianapolis on Friday, and the&nbsp;Pacers are 5-0 at home in the playoffs. Indiana also&nbsp;hasn't&nbsp;lost at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since March 18.

New York has lost just one game at home in the playoffs thus far: Game 5 in overtime against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 30.

Knicks: G - Jalen Brunson, G - Donte DiVincenzo, F - Josh Hart, F - Precious Achiuwa, C - Isaiah Hartenstein

Knicks: OG Anunoby - out (left hamstring strain), Bojan Bogdanovic - out&nbsp; (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 12, 2024: Unlike the first three games in the series, the Pacers led from nearly start to finish in a 121-89 blowout win over the Knicks in Game 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With the win, the Pacers stayed undefeated (5-0) at home in the playoffs.

The Pacers scored at least 32 points in&nbsp;each of&nbsp;the first three quarters to start the game, including leading 34-14 after the first frame.&nbsp;

Indiana’s&nbsp;lead swelled to 28 points at halftime before exploding to 43 in the second half. Both teams played their bench units for almost the entire fourth quarter.

The Pacers shot an outstanding 56.8 percent from the field while limiting the Knicks to 33.7 percent. The Pacers finished 14-for-31 from 3-point range, while the Knicks made just 7 of 37 attempts.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points, T.J. McConnell had 15 points and&nbsp;10&nbsp;assists, and Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin&nbsp;each&nbsp;chipped in 14 point for the Blue & Gold.

Jalen Brunson scored 18 points in 31 minutes and Alec Burks scored 20 points off the bench for the visitors. Brunson was the only Knicks starter to hit double digits for points on the night.&nbsp;

The Pacers won the rebounding margin 52-43, had 31 assists as a team and outscored the Knicks 60-40 in the paint.&nbsp;

TV: TNT - Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Chris Haynes (sideline reporter)

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

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17. The time for Game 6 is TBD.&nbsp;Find Tickets >>

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Game Preview: Pacers at Knicks (Game 5)

Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

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Game Recap: Pacers 121, Knicks 89

The first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Pacers and the Knicks were full of drama and intrigue, with the two rivals exchanging runs throughout each night and each contest coming down to the final minute.

Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was a vastly different story, though Pacers fans likely won't have any complaint about the end result.

The Pacers dominated New York from start to finish on Sunday. They led by 23 barely 10 minutes into Game 4, pushed the lead to 30 before halftime, and stretched the margin as high as 43 points in the second half, ultimately cruising to a 121-89 victory.

With the win, the Pacers evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Both teams held serve on their respective home courts this week, with the Knicks taking Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Wednesday before the Pacers responded with wins at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday and Sunday.

The series will shift to New York once again for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton led six Pacers in double figures in the victory, tallying 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 27 minutes, going 8-for-15 from the field and 4-for-10 from 3-point range. Backup T.J. McConnell was just as good off the bench, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists in 21 minutes.

As a team, Indiana shot 56.8 percent from the field and went 14-for-31 (45.2 percent) from 3-point range. On the other end, they limited New York to just 33.7 percent shooting and just 7-for-37 (18.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

"We just handled business from start to finish and I think that’s part of the maturation of this group that we’ve talked about all year," Haliburton said. "Now we have to truthfully flush that one. Obviously watch film tomorrow, but take the good with the good, learn from the bad and be ready to go for Game 5 because that’s a big game."

The Pacers got off to a fast start from the jump on Sunday, as Haliburton knocked down his first two 3-point attempts and got a breakaway dunk to propel Indiana to a 14-4 lead.

The margin continued to grow from there as Myles Turner threw in a high-arcing three to beat the shot clock then scored on the next possession on a putback layup.

McConnell got into the paint the next two times down the floor, converting two layups, one of them a three-point play. He set up Obi Toppin for a jumper on the Pacers' next possession before Ben Sheppard and Toppin knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers.

The building was buzzing by that point, but the noise reached an even higher decibel after McConnell connected with Toppin for an alley-oop dunk that pushed Indiana's lead to 34-11 with 1:34 remaining in the opening frame.

It was 34-14 at the end of the first quarter, as the Pacers went 14-for-23 (60.9 percent from the field) and 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range, while the Knicks were just 6-for-23 (26.1 percent) and 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

Pascal Siakam scored six points early in the second quarter to helped the Blue & Gold continue to grow the lead, then drove and kicked back to a wide-open McConnell, who swished a three from the top of the arc that put Indiana up 47-19 with 8:06 to play in the first half.

The Knicks reeled off six straight points from there, but that would be the closest they would get the remainder of the half, as the Pacers kept their feet on the gas. Haliburton scored Indiana's last five points of the half, including a step-back three that pushed the lead to 30 for the first time before Alec Burks hit two free throws in the final second that made it a 28-point margin at the break.

The Pacers weren't content to sit on that lead in the second half, instead coming out of the locker room intent on thwarting any Knicks hope for a comeback.

The Blue & Gold scored the first four points of the third quarter to push the lead to 32 points and threes later in the frame from Haliburton, Turner, and McConnell stretched the margin to 35, 36, and then 37 points.

McConnell and Toppin got the crowd on its feet once again with a little over three minutes to go in the third quarter, connecting on another alley-oop, with Toppin finishing this one with a two-hand reverse slam.

Aaron Nesmith's jumper with 22.4 seconds to play in the quarter pushed the lead to 38 at 101-63.

"The mentality was to play like we were down 20," Turner said of how the Pacers never let the Knicks back in the game. "In the NBA, it’s very easy for a 20-point lead to dissipate as quickly as it does. We never wanted to take the foot off the gas."

No starters saw the court for either team in the fourth quarter. Toppin's breakaway dunk on the opening possession pushed their lead to 40 for the first time. The only drama in the final frame was what the final margin would be.

Siakam finished with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting for Indiana, while Toppin also tallied 14 points off the bench. Turner added 13 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, going 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Third-year big man Isaiah Jackson finished with 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Burks had a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Knicks. All-Star guard Jalen Brunson scored 18 points, but struggled from the field, going 6-for-17 overall and 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Miles McBride tallied 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists off the bench for New York.

The Pacers and Knicks will meet again on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 5, which will take place at 8:00 PM ET on air nationally on TNT.

“The last two games we did our job," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did what we needed to do. We protected home court…We’re a team that’s only halfway to our goal. We’ve got to understand that and have a great level of humility for what’s coming on Tuesday night and be braced for it."

The Pacers held New York to 89 points in Game 4, the lowest point total for a Pacers opponent in any game this season. The previous low was 90 points in a 109-90 win over the Lakers on March 29. It was the first time Indiana held an opponent under 90 points since they limited the Heat to 87 on Dec. 12, 2022.

The Pacers outscored the Knicks 60-40 in points in the paint and by another 21 points from 3-point range.

Haliburton reached 20 points for the third straight game. Over the last three games of the series, he is averaging 29.7 points and is 17-for-37 (45.9 percent) from 3-point range.

McConnell recorded his second double-double in his last three games. He had 10 points and 12 assists off the bench in Game 2.

After scoring just 14 bench points in Game 3, the Pacers' reserves scored 57 points in Game 4, including 27 in the first half.

Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo had scored 25 or more points in each of the first three games of the series, including 35 in Game 3 when he went 7-for-11 from 3-point range. The Pacers limited him to just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting (1-of-6 from beyond the arc) on Sunday.

Knicks forward Josh Hart had averaged 17.6 points and 15.3 rebounds over Games 1-3, but tallied only two points on 1-of-6 shooting and three boards in Game 4.

Despite the margin, the Knicks shot significantly more free throws than Indiana. New York went 22-for-31 (71 percent) from the charity stripe, while the Pacers were just 7-for-8 (87.5 percent).

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Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability vs. New York Knicks (Game 4) | May 12, 2024

“We had better concentration and focus. Our habits were better. Early we got some good opportunities in transition and they missed some shots. So we got a good start and were able to sustain a lot of good things throughout. But there’s such a long way to go here.” -Carlisle on the key to the win

“I thought it was a good win. It doesn’t really matter how it happened. It’s 2-2. It counts as one. I thought our focus was good from the beginning. Playing with our pace and intensity is something that we need to do." -Siakam on the victory

“Our disposition was great. Obviously we had a game plan (and went) out there and executed it. But I think it was a commitment by all of us tonight to go out there and really (defend) by committee. Guarding guys like Brunson, it’s not a one-man job. He’s a spectacular player, but we had to make sure we all come together and chip in.” -Turner on the team defense

“DiVincenzo is a great player. He’s had monster games throughout the playoffs, throughout the season. In the first game, we didn’t treat him like he was a great player. The urgency to take away forget about shots, but touches (was missing). The guy makes a lot of things happen. We did better there tonight.” -Carlisle on the defense on DiVincenzo

"Every time we’re at home, the energy that they bring to the game and how excited they are kind of fuels us to go out and play our best. When we have their support, we always play better. I like our chances here in front of this crowd. We just want to continue to perform well." -Siakam on the Pacers’ success at home so far in the playoffs

“Even when Myles isn’t scoring at some kind of clip that may at times be expected, he gives us a physical presence that we need, especially against New York. New York is a very physical team with (Isaiah) Hartenstein and (Precious) Achiuwa out there to start the game. He held his ground very well at the start of this game tonight. He did get three blocks. The chase-down block he had at the end of the last game made all the difference here.” -Carlisle on Myles Turner’s defensive importance

“T.J.’s one of our leaders. He’s really taken it upon himself to lead that second unit. He took full ownership for what happened last game. It’s very rare that that does happen. But I think he came out with a great spirit tonight and led those guys.” -Turner on T.J. McConnell

"Just his energy. When he checks in, there’s not many people in the NBA better at doing what he does, and that’s bringing energy off the bench...His energy is just contagious and everybody kind of flows off of that." –Haliburton on McConnell

The Pacers 32-point win was the third-largest playoff victory in franchise history. They had a 34-point win over Cleveland in Game 6 in the first round in 2018 and a 33-point victory over the Lakers in Game 5 of the 2000 NBA Finals.

The Pacers travel to New York to take on the Knicks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, May 14 at 8:00 PM ET.

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, May 17. The time for Game 6 is TBD. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 121, Knicks 89 (Game 4)

After a dramatic Game 3 victory, the Pacers have a chance to even their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinal series with the New York Knicks with a win in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Andrew Nembhard played the role of unlikely hero on Friday night. The second-year guard missed his first six shots and was scoreless with two minutes remaining in Game 3, but he scored two huge baskets down the stretch.

The first was a layup with 1:55 remaining on a breakaway started by Myles Turner's chase-down block of Josh Hart to put Indiana up 104-102. After a 3-pointer by Jalen Brunson tied the game at 106 with 40 seconds remaining, Nembhard then buried a 31-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 16.4 seconds remaining that proved to be the dagger in a 111-106 victory.

Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton threw the ball to Nembhard on the left wing late in the shot clock after the Knicks sent a double team at him. Nembhard briefly bobbled the ball, but didn't panic, using a step-back move to create separation from Brunson and hoisting a deep three that swished through the net, sending the sellout crowd into hysterics.

It was the latest memorable moment in the Pacers-Knicks playoff rivalry that seems to always produce thrilling finishes. And it was an important victory for Indiana to jump back into the series. No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in NBA history, but at 2-1 with another home game for Game 4, the Blue & Gold are now in great position to even the series and turn it into a best-of-three.

Both teams enter Game 4 with their star players battered and bruised. Brunson injured his right foot and missed a quarter in Game 2. He was questionable for Game 3, but wound up playing through discomfort, finishing with 26 points on as many shots in 38 minutes.

The Pacers changed up their matchups for Game 3, putting bigger wing Aaron Nesmith on Brunson instead of Nembhard, a move that was effective for large stretches, as Brunson was less efficient and had five turnovers.

On the other side, Haliburton was brilliant in Game 3, tallying 35 points while going 14-for-26 from the field and 6-for-16 from 3-point range. But he rolled his ankle early in the fourth quarter and though he stayed in the game, he was limping noticeably down the stretch. Haliburton has already been dealing with a sore lower back during the postseason.

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (lower back spasms/sacral contusion/right ankle sprain), Aaron Nesmith - questionable (sore right shoulder), Bennedict Mathurin - out (right shoulder labral tear)

Knicks: OG Anunoby - out (left hamstring strain), Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 10,&nbsp;2024:&nbsp;Andrew Nembhard's 31-foot 3-pointer with 16.4 seconds remaining broke a 106-106 tie and proved to be the decisive blow in Indiana's 111-106 victory.

It was the culmination of a dramatic contest that saw the Pacers go up by 12 early, but fall behind by nine early in the fourth quarter before rallying to tie and ultimately win the game.

Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana with 35 points and seven assists in the win, going 14-for-26 from the field and 6-for-16 from 3-point range. Pascal Siakam added 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds, while Myles Turner tallied 21 points, 10 boards, and three blocks.

Donte DiVincenzo scored 35 points for the Knicks while going 7-for-11 from 3-point range. Jalen Brunson added 26 points and six assists, while Alec Burks chipped in 14 points off the bench.

TV: ABC - Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), JJ Redick (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter)

The Pacers and Knicks will meet again in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM ET.&nbsp;Find Tickets >>

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Knicks (Game 4)

Friday, May 10 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Pacers are 3-0 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse so far this postseason and will need to continue to protect homecourt this weekend if they want to even their Eastern Conference Semifinal series with the New York Knicks.

The Knicks held serve at Madison Square Garden this week, winning Game 1 on Monday and Game 2 on Wednesday. In Wednesday's game, the Knicks outscored Indiana 67-48 after halftime to come away with a 130-121 victory.

The Pacers had built a 73-63 lead heading into the intermission and pushed the margin to 12 on Andrew Nembhard's layup on Indiana's opening possession of the third quarter. But the Knicks seized control from there, stringing together a 27-6 run over the next seven-plus minutes to seize control of the contest.

Donte DiVincenzo scored eight points on two threes and a dunk in an initial 11-4 run that prompted a timeout from Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. After the stoppage, the Knicks reeled off 10 unanswered points to move in front and they never relinquished the lead.

One positive for the Pacers in the loss was the play of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. After only scoring six points on six shots in Game 1, Haliburton made a point of being more assertive in Game 2. He scored 13 points in the first quarter on Wednesday, had 22 at halftime, and finished with a playoff career-high 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting (7-of-11 from 3-point range) to go along with six rebounds, nine assists, and two steals.

While Haliburton had a big night and the bench continued to contribute, outscoring the Knicks' reserves 46-12, it was a relatively quiet night for some other Indiana starters. After scoring 23 points in Game 1, Pacers center Myles Turner only tallied six in Game 2 while going 3-for-11 from the field. Star forward Pascal Siakam finished with 14 points but need 18 shots to get there.

Defensively, meanwhile, the Pacers have struggled to slow down the Knicks. New York shot 57 percent from the field in Game 2 and went 14-for-30 (46.7 percent) from 3-point range. For the second straight game, all five New York starters reached double figures, with Jalen Brunson, DiVincenzo, and OG Anunoby all scoring 28 or more points and Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein both recording double-doubles.

The biggest question heading into Game 3 is the health of a couple of the Knicks' stars. Brunson missed the entire second quarter of Game 2 after injuring his right foot, though he returned to play the second half, scoring 24 points over the final two quarters. Anunoby then hurt his left hamstring in the third quarter and did not return. If the Knicks — who are already shorthanded without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson — do not have either or both of Brunson or Anunoby this weekend, that would be a significant blow.

The Pacers can take comfort in knowing that it has been very difficult for teams to win in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana is the only team in the NBA that has not lost a home game in the last 50 days, as the Pacers' last home loss came on March 18. The Blue & Gold swept three home games in the first round against the Bucks in front of a raucous crowd and with the rival Knicks in town, the atmosphere should be even more electric this weekend.

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (lower back spasms), Bennedict Mathurin - out (right shoulder labral tear)

Knicks: Jalen Brunson - questionable (sore right foot), OG Anunoby - out (left hamstring strain), Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 8,&nbsp;2024:&nbsp;The Pacers took a 73-63 lead into halftime on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks outscored Indiana 36-18 in the third quarter and never relinquished the lead en route to a 130-121 win in Game 2.

After missing the entire second quarter with a sore right foot, Jalen Brunson returned for the second half and scored 24 of his team-high 29 points over the final two quarters. OG Anunoby added 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting (4-of-9 from 3-point range) despite missing the whole fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and Donte DiVincenzo scored 28 to go along with six rebounds and four assists while going 6-for-12 from 3-point range.

Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana with 34 points, six rebounds, and nine assists in the loss, going 11-for-19 from the field and 7-for-11 from 3-point range. Obi Toppin scored 20 points off the bench, while fellow reserve T.J. McConnell recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 assists.

TV: ESPN - Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), JJ Redick (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter)

The Pacers will host the Knicks for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 7:00 PM on Friday, May 10.&nbsp;Find Tickets >>

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Game Preview: Pacers vs Knicks (Game 3)

Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

The Knicks landed the first blow in Game 1, but the Pacers will look to draw even with New York on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden in Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals.

For much of Monday night, the Pacers appeared in position to steal Game 1 on the road. But the Knicks came on strong late, scoring 39 points in the fourth quarter and ultimately coming away with a 121-117 win.

A couple calls didn't got the Pacers' way down the stretch, most notably a kicked ball violation on Aaron Nesmith on a play where he actually deflected Jalen Brunson's pass with his hand. The call (which is not reviewable) allowed the Knicks to retain possession and Donte DiVincenzo hit what proved to be the game-winning 3-pointer.

The Pacers then had a chance to move in front with under 20 seconds to play, but did not get a shot off as Myles Turner was whistled for an illegal screen on DiVincenzo.

After the loss, the Pacers were more frustrated with putting themselves in a position to fall short than anything else.

“There are so many events in an NBA game," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "There’s always a sharp focus on the last minute, but there were things that happened with five or six minutes left that really hurt us…It’s not just the last minute or two, it’s the whole game. The whole fourth quarter. This is a great experience for our guys. It comes at a cost – it’s no fun, but we’re going to have to learn some things for Game 2.”

RELATED:&nbsp;Pacers Demonstrate Resilience, Depth Despite Coming Up Short in Game 1 >>

The Pacers' depth played a major role in Game 2, as Indiana's bench outscored the Knicks' reserves by a whopping margin of 46-3. T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, Ben Sheppard, and Isaiah Jackson all made a real impact off the bench for the Blue & Gold.

But as good as Indiana's bench was, the Knicks' starters all excelled in heavy minutes. Leading the way was All-Star guard Jalen Brunson, who scored 21 of his game-high 43 points in the fourth quarter. Brunson went 14-for-14 from the free throw line and has now scored 40 or more points in four straight playoff games, just the fourth player in NBA history with that accomplishment (the others are Michael Jordan, Bernard King, and Jerry West).

In Game 2, the Pacers will try to do a better job of keeping Brunson and the Knicks off the foul line (the Knicks shot 26 free throws to Indiana's 19) and also will want to limit New York on the offensive boards. The Knicks led the NBA in offensive rebounds in the regular season and while the Pacers limited them to just two in the first half on Monday, they had six crucial offensive boards leading to 13 second-chance points in the second half.

Another key for the Pacers is finding ways to free up All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton had just six points on 2-of-6 shooting and eight assists in Game 1 as the Knicks focused their defense heavily on getting the ball out of his hands.

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Indiana Pacers Media Availability | May 7, 2024

Knicks: G - Jalen Brunson, G - Donte DiVincenzo, F - Josh Hart, F - OG Anunoby, C - Isaiah Hartenstein

Knicks: Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery), Mitchell Robinson - out (left ankle stress injury)

May 6,&nbsp;2024:&nbsp;The Pacers led for much of the second half, but Donte DiVincenzo's 3-pointer in the final minute broke a 115-115 tie and the Knicks held on for a 121-117 win in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

Six Pacers finished in double figures in the loss. Myles Turner led the way with a team-high 23 points, while Pascal Siakam added 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists. T.J. McConnell tallied 18 points and three assists off the bench and fellow reserve Obi Toppin added 11 points and six rebounds.

All five Knicks starters reached double figures, with Jalen Brunson leading the way with 43 points, six rebounds, and six assists while going 14-for-26 from the field and 14-for-14 from the free throw line. DiVincenzo added 25 points while going 10-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 from 3-point range and Josh Hart tallied 24 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.

TV: TNT - Brian Anderson (play-by-play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Chris Haynes (sideline reporter)

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Game Preview: Pacers at Knicks (Game 2)

Monday, May 6 at 7:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden

One of the most&nbsp;historic NBA Eastern Conference playoff rivalries&nbsp;is set&nbsp;to start its next chapter.

After advancing past the Milwaukee Bucks to start their 2024 playoff run, the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers will take on the No. 2 New York Knicks in Game 1 of the East Semifinals on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

In the first round, both the Pacers and Knicks held home court to keep their championship aspirations alive.

Indiana beat Milwaukee 4-2 to open its postseason, including a game-clinching&nbsp;120-98 win on Thursday in Indianapolis. The Pacers claimed a Game 2 road victory in the seven-game series before winning their final three games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

New York also clinched its first-round series 4-2 on Thursday, as the Knicks eliminated reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers 118-115. The Knicks' lone road win came in Game 4, and just one point separated the Knicks and Sixers when their series closed.

Indiana and New York play two different styles on the hardwood: the Pacers like to play fast and free-flowing action while the Knicks rely on half-court sets and gritty defense.

The Pacers led the NBA in pace for almost the entire regular season, while the Knicks finished last. Additionally, the Pacers had the No. 1 scoring offense (123.3 points per game), while the Knicks gave up the second-fewest points nightly (108.2).

Indiana won its regular season series with the Knicks 2-1, which included a 14-point win at MSG on Feb. 10 and a 140-126 victory on Dec. 30. Ne York's lone win was a close contest, 109-105, on Feb. 1 at MSG.

Two All-Star guards in the East will face off in the series, as Pacers maestro Tyrese Haliburton will continue to command the Blue &&nbsp;Gold&nbsp;while high-volume scorer Jalen Brunson will lead the Knicks.

RELATED:&nbsp;New Faces Take Center Stage as Pacers, Knicks Renew Postseason Rivalry >>

Haliburton averaged 16 points, 9.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds across 36.3 minutes in his first-ever playoff series. His most memorable outing was a triple-double performance — where he also hit the game-winning shot — in an overtime win over the Bucks in Game 3.

Brunson is coming off a historic series against the Sixers, as he&nbsp;averaged 35.5 points and 9.0 assists per game in six contests&nbsp;—&nbsp;making him the first player since Michael Jordan in 1993 with at least 39 points in four straight playoff games.&nbsp;His 35.5 points per game in the first round are the most by a Knicks player in franchise playoff history, and in the Knicks' game-clinching Game 6 win against the Sixers, Brunson finished with 41 points and 12 assists.

Pacers&nbsp;second-year guard&nbsp;Andrew Nembhard&nbsp;and starting&nbsp;forward&nbsp;Aaron Nesmith&nbsp;will likely be tasked with guarding Brunson.&nbsp;In the first round, Nembhard slowed down All-Star MVP guard Damian Lillard&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nesmith trailed sharpshooter Khris&nbsp;Middleton.

Former Indiana University standout OG Anunoby, who was acquired by the Knicks midseason from Toronto, will likely pick up the responsibilities of guarding Haliburton and his former teammate Pascal Siakam.&nbsp;Anunoby didn't play against the Pacers during the regular season, as he dealt with an elbow injury.

Siakam will look to remain steady in the semis, coming off a series in which he averaged 22.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Throughout the playoffs, Siakam — who won a championship with the Raptors in 2019 — has served as one of the most vital voices in the Pacers locker room thus far, helping the young group not get too high or low following wins and losses.

A key area of concern for the Pacers will be on the glass, as the Knicks ranked No. 1 in offensive rebounding while the Pacers finished 28th overall on the boards.

Inside, Pacers center Myles Turner and Siakam will battle with Knicks 7-footers Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson. Turner was sensational for much of the first-round series against Milwaukee, averaging 19.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, while&nbsp;Hartenstein (10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks) and Robinson (7.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks) provided a dominant presence in the paint for the Knicks.

Pacers head coach Rick&nbsp;Carlisle&nbsp;and Knicks skipper Tom Thibodeau approached their bench units much differently during the season, which has bled into the playoffs. The Blue & Gold often rely on depth, at minimum putting out eight players in each game, while the Knicks typically play heavy minutes with their starters.

RELATED:&nbsp;A Pacers-Knicks Playoff History Primer >>

Indiana will hope the solid Game 6 play of second unit players Obi Toppin —who was&nbsp;traded&nbsp;from the Knicks to the Pacers in July — and T.J. McConnell&nbsp;will carry&nbsp;over into their series with the Knicks.&nbsp;After an up-and-down start to the playoffs, Toppin logged a team-high 21 points to go with eight rebounds&nbsp;and&nbsp;McConnell supplied a personal&nbsp;playoff best&nbsp;20 points and nine assists — the first Pacers bench duo to ever record 20 points each in a playoff game.

On the injury front, New York will be without former Pacer Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) and All-Star forward Julius Randle (shoulder) in the series. The Knicks have been without Randle since January, and Bogdanovic's injury occurred during Game 4 against the Sixers.

New York will host Games 1 and 2 on Monday and Wednesday before the series shifts to Indianapolis. The Pacers will host Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.

Knicks: Bojan Bogdanovic - out (left foot surgery), Julius Randle - out (right shoulder surgery)

Feb. 10,&nbsp;2024:&nbsp;Myles Turner scored 23 points on a perfect 9-for-9 shooting night to lead the Pacers past the Knicks 125-111 at Madison Square Garden.

The Pacers led 61-58 at halftime and didn't give up the lead in the final 24 minutes.

Indiana shot a superb 61 percent from the field, while the Knicks made 47.6 percent of their shots. The Pacers also won the rebounding margin 41-32 and points in the paint differential 62-54.

After Turner, Tyrese Haliburton logged 22 points and 12 assists&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pascal Siakam chipped in 19 points and six rebounds for the Blue & Gold.&nbsp;

Jalen Brunson topped New York with 39 points (14-for-25 shooting)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Alec Burks scored 22 points off the bench for the Knicks.&nbsp;Knicks 7-footers Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson&nbsp;both&nbsp;didn't play due to injuries.&nbsp;

2023‑24 Game Preview