N.Y. Knicks: Look What the Bockers Did to the Pacers, Again

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

SATURDAY

Pacers  107

Knicks  110

FINAL

Bockers Outpace Indy; Climb To Fourth Spot in Eastern Conference Standings

Climb Back To Level Ground

17-17 (.500)

Almost all things in this game being equal, the Knicks grit and determination and Coach Thibs ultimately win out over the Pacers Saturday at the Garden.  

There's really no other way to explain it.  

The Pacers were plus-three in total possessions, plus-three in attempts from the line, a slim plus-one in assists, and plus-five in blocked shots.  They were also plus-ten points in the paint.  Meanwhile, the Knicks were a more proficient 49.4% from the field, including 50% from behind the arc, plus-six on fast-break points, a plus-three in rebounds, and plus-seven in steals.

Indiana starts the game on an 8-0 run, brought to a stop when Derrick Rose buries a pair of free throws to finally get the Knicks on the board.  Roughly 20 minutes later, Rose launches a three-attempt from 8th Avenue and hits to give the Knicks a one-point lead at the half to the great delight of the socially distanced crowd.

With a three-point lead, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin open the fourth quarter together.  Toppin, however, would only see six minutes all game.  Quickley hits a three-pointer-and-one at 11:04, giving the Knicks a nine-point lead.  After relinquishing the lead, RJ Barrett's short-range jumper ties the game at 98-98, and his follow-up free throw puts the Knicks up by one with 3:32 left.  Julius Randle's three at 2:55 puts the Knicks up by four.  After a Nerlens Noel steal in the defensive end, Julius Randle draws a foul and sinks two free throws to the chants of MVP! MVP!, giving the Knicks a five-point lead.  At this point, Coach Thibs subs out Julius Randle for Frank Ntilikina, and the move pays off.  With a two-point lead, RJ Barrett misses a pair of free throws with just 0:14 seconds left.  On Indiana's ensuing possession Frank Ntilikina steals the ball and is fouled.  Frank then converts both attempts, and the Knicks hold on for a three-point margin of victory.

The hardest working man in Manhattan, Julius Randle, wins his one-on-one confrontation with Domantas Sabonis, who led the Pacers with 15 points, nine assists, and a team-high seven rebounds in 36 minutes.  The Knicks all-star answered with a game-high 28 points, with six assists and a game-high ten rebounds for his 22nd double-double through 34 games.  RJ Barrett was second in with 24 points on 8/17 from the field, including 4/6 from behind the arc.  Getting another start, Derrick Rose, who caused a decisive turnover in the closing moments of the game, contributed 17 points with a team-high eleven assists.

Immanuel Quickley was 3/4 from behind the arc and 1/1 from the line for ten points in just 13 minutes off the bench.  Alec Burks played 21 minutes off the bench with five points, two assists, and a steal.  

The Knicks improved to 2-1 against the Indiana Pacers, but more importantly, finally, reestablish par with a 17-17 record.  Moreover, they move into a tie with the Florida Raptors for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with just over a half-season left to play.