Nearly nine months after being eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse and got their payback, securing a 128-115 victory on Feb. 11.
Led by Karl-Anthony Towns’ dominant 40-point performance, the Knicks (35-18) avenged last season’s playoff exit and reinforced their position as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Pacers head coach said Towns was almost too much.
“Towns had a great night,” Carlisle said. “He was almost impossible to deal with because he was making outside shots and causing a lot of damage on the inside. He played great.”
The Pacers (29-23), playing one of their final games before the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, struggled to contain the Knicks offensively.
New York shot 53.8% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and transition play.
Towns was the catalyst for the Knicks’ incursion, displaying his full offensive arsenal with three-pointers, post moves and strong finishes at the rim. He added 12 rebounds and five assists, rounding out his special night.
Josh Hart provided a crucial boost as well, tallying 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Miles McBride contributed 15 points off the bench.
Indiana opened the game with a fast pace, trading buckets with New York through the first frame.
However, the Knicks seized control in the second period, outscoring the Pacers 41-34 to take an eight-point advantage into halftime.
Pascal Siakam, who will represent the Pacers in The Bay for All-Star Weekend, led the team with 24 points. Thomas Bryant was effective inside, adding 18 points and nine rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton finished with 16 points and eight assists. Bennedict Mathurin also chipped in 18 points with the second unit.
Despite shooting a respectable 48.3% from the field, the Pacers struggled from three, making just 9-of-31 three-pointers (29%).
Moreover, Indiana failed to capitalize on second-chance opportunities, scoring just six second-chance points compared to New York’s 19.
Indiana made a push in the third period, cutting the deficit to as little as five points. However, Towns or Hart had an answer each time the Pacers threatened their lead.
A late surge by the Knicks in the fourth quarter virtually sealed the deal.
With the win, New York extends its winning streak to four games and holds the No. 3 seed in the east.
Haliburton remains optimistic heading into the big weekend.
“We have another game tomorrow, and hopefully, we will leave off on a good note before (NBA All-Star) break,” Haliburton said.
Indy currently boasts the No. 4 seed, only a few games behind New York.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral. For more sports, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
