Indiana Pacers falter to start and finish loss against New York Knicks
The stars were not out when the Indiana Pacers hosted the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner were absent for Indiana while Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson missed the action for New York. With both team's regular season fate already determined, both clubs turned to younger players throughout the night.
That led to entertaining basketball. It was high-paced and offensive focused, with neither team able to string together consistent stops. It was a thrilling game full of young talent.
Early on, it was clear that the Pacers might have some defensive issues in this game. New York went on a 17-0 run in the first quarter to take a big lead early, and they led by as many as 18 points in the first quarter. Even without their premier offensive threats, the Knicks dominated out of the gates.
"They just punched us in the mouth early," Pacers center Jalen Smith said after the game. "I don't think we were fully prepared to play."
The Pacers adjusted from their original plan and figured out the Knicks a bit, but they had a lot of climbing to do. Their second quarter was strong, led by seven points from Smith, and they slowly cut into the lead. The Knicks advantage was just three at halftime.
Despite improved play, Indiana still had no answers for Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and Quentin Grimes. Those three players combined for 53 points in the first half, and their speed and athleticism were tough for the blue and gold to contain.
That remained a theme in the third quarter as that New York trio had 26 points, nearly matching the Pacers 31 for the whole frame. It was still a close game, but Indiana had few answers.
"They play hard. Real skilled guys. Hard to keep in front. They're quick, they've got a good first step," Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith said of New York's talented young players.
Finally, to open the fourth quarter, the Pacers looked strong. They started the frame on a 13-3 run to take a lead, and they remained ahead or tied for about a five-minute span. Despite struggling early, the blue and gold had a shot late.
The game was tied at 120 with 4:10 to go. Just after that moment, Bennedict Mathurin turned the ball over, and the Knicks scored from the mistake. They never looked back. The Knicks outscored the Pacers 18-9 over the next four minutes to pull off the win, they did most of their damage very early and very late.
"Obviously, turnovers were a big story of the game," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of the team's stretch run. His team had five turnovers in the final 4:09 of this game.
In the end, the Knicks won 138-129. They are locked into the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs while the Pacers will play just two more games in their season. Indiana is now 34-46, which puts them tied for sixth in the draft lottery standings.
A close loss with many lessons about defending quicker players, starting strong, and the value of possessions is a valuable game for the Pacers. They have been starting many young players of late and getting development opportunities in these games. Tonight was no exception.
Smith ended up being the Pacers leading scorer with 19 points, and he also added three rebounds, two steals, and three blocks. He has found a groove recently. "I was just playing my game," he said after the game.
T.J. McConnell added 18 points and 12 assists for a double double. Mathurin, meanwhile, had 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. It was a well-rounded night for the rookie, though he did have several turnovers.
The Pacers shot 50% from long range and lost, which is a testament to their defensive struggles in this game. Defense will be a focus for the growing team in their final two outings. They next hit the court on Friday when they host the Detroit Pistons in their final home game of the season.
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