Pacers survive vs Knicks for NBA Cup win: Eight things learned
Feel the magic of the NBA Cup.
INDIANAPOLIS – Who's up for some basketball on a Constellation Blue and Yellow Flash colored court? Friday night, the Pacers and Knicks were. The reigning champs were in Indy for NBA Cup action – it's their only trip to Indianapolis this season.
The Knicks have been fine so far this campaign but not the near-buzzsaw some (including me) anticipated. They entered this game at 6-5, capable of many results. They've beaten some great teams so far but also dropped a few against lesser opponents.
Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York is a tough cover for the current Pacers. Ivica Zubac opened the game on Towns and needed to be sharp with his defensive mobility. Andrew Nembhard – as opposed to Aaron Nesmith, like in recent playoff series – took the Brunson matchup.
Hicks vs Knicks. A classic rivalry, and it was on National TV via Prime Video. What was learned in Pacers vs Knicks?
Tony East
The Pacers defense was hot and cold
Early, the Pacers defense was concerning. The Knicks scored 18 points in barely over five minutes to start the game, forcing a timeout. Several cutters raced to the rim untouched. The Pacers were disconnected on a team level – even the normally-reliable Nesmith made some mental mistakes.
After that rough five minutes to kick things off, the Pacers defense hit their stride. They allowed just 17 minutes across the next 14-ish minutes of play, which helped the Pacers expand their advantage on the scoreboard.
Brunson and Towns were doing their thing, but the rest of the Knicks struggled. With 4:31 to go until halftime, New York had just 35 points.
Then, a regression from the Pacers defense – New York scored 14 points in that final 4:30 to get themselves closer by the intermission. That set up an important halftime question: What version of the Pacers defense would show up in the third and fourth quarters?
In the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, their defense remained strong. They faltered a bit late in that period but were more steady to open the fourth quarter. The up-and-down nature of the Pacers defense summed up many runs in this game, but they were mostly great in the clutch.
Jay Huff provided crucial early minutes
For most of the first two frames, the Pacers turned to Larry Nance or Zubac as their center. But for a beat in the first frame, head coach Rick Carlisle opted for Jay Huff. It paid off in a big way.
Huff scored eight quick points, hitting two threes and finishing once at the rim. He pulled in a rebound, too, and helped the Pacers go +7 over a four minute stretch.
It was Huff's only first-half stint. But it was vital. He finished with eight points and one rebound.
The Pacers bench had a strong first half, then struggled in the second
The Knicks starting lineup is one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA. It's important to take advantage of the minutes that one or both of Towns and Brunson are on the bench.
The Pacers second unit was up for it, especially in the first half. T.J. McConnell was fantastic early, pressuring the rim and dishing out four assists in the opening two quarters. His pesky defense helped the reserves put together two-way play.
Obi Toppin shot 3/4 in the first half. Nance hit a shot. Quenton Jackson and Jalen Slawson (playing instead of Jarace Walker) did their thing: Provide energy and defensive force. The Pacers won the minutes with Towns on the bench by 11 in the opening quarters.
The second half was not as productive for the bench group. The Knicks went on a crucial run to close the third quarter with a combination of reserves and starters on the floor – cutting the Pacers lead from 11 to one. The second unit responded to open the fourth frame, but their low moment at the end of the third was damaging.
Even with a lesser second half, the Pacers bench was a positive on balance in this game. The Pacers needed it.
The NBA Cup court was blue and slippery
The NBA Cup court always leads to questions – mostly: What is this thing? The Pacers will play one more game on this blue hardwood (November 27 vs Philadelphia) and could play more if they reach the NBA Cup playoffs. It's a sight to see.
It always, as is tradition, leads to some player slippage. The graphics cause players to fall. Josh Hart and Kelly Oubre both tumbled near midcourt, for example. Andrew Nembhard did late. That's worth keeping an eye on.
Karl-Anthony Towns caused the Pacers problems
Towns is a terrific shooter and rebounder – two skills that give the Pacers fits in opposing frontcourts.
It's hard for someone like Zubac to spend a ton of time away from the basket, but that's what defending Towns requires. And the Knicks star big man popped out behind the three-point arc often, attempting seven threes.
He had 15 rebounds, too. Towns' skillset is built to cause these Pacers problems, and he did so in this one. New York ultimately lost Towns' minutes, but that was not because of the big man's play.
The Knicks flipped the game at the end of the third quarter
The Pacers were up by 11 with 2:03 to go until the fourth quarter. They were playing well in the third frame to that point and had momentum on their side.
The final stretch of that period was a disaster. The Pacers couldn't score and settled for jumpers. The Knicks turned their stops into transition chances, using the open floor to create easy jumpers. The visitors scored 10 points in a row to end the third, making the score 85-84 entering the final frame.
The Pacers responded to open the fourth quarter
After letting the Knicks back into the game, the Pacers needed a strong start to the fourth quarter.
They got it.
The first 4:18 of the period was 14-5 Pacers. They battled on the boards, ripped away loose balls, and found their offensive flow thanks to those effort plays. No one performer stood out – it was the team's ecosystem doing its thing.
The signature play: Nance was battling for a rebound and his headband got ripped off. He earned the board, then the Pacers bench scooped up his sweaty headwear. On the next play, Nance stole the ball and the Pacers scored in transition. Huff gave him the handband in the ensuing timeout.
Even the players on the bench were providing a lift and supporting a strong effort. The Pacers lead reached double digits as a result.
The Pacers did enough in crunch time despite poor offense
The Pacers led by 10 with about five minutes to go, giving themselves a good chance at a victory. They just needed a few successful plays in crunch time.
Despite the Knicks making a push, the Pacers found those plays. They forced an eight second violation. Siakam hit a tough jumper over Brunson. The Pacers grabbed almost every available rebound and protected the paint.
It was not pretty. The Pacers scored just two points in the final 4:59 of the game and missed some crucial free throws, then coughed up a pivotal turnover in the final seconds. But they survived a choppy ending.
The final score was 106-104 The Pacers have won consecutive games for the first time this season and improved to 5-6 with the win.
Thank you for reading. The Pacers are in Philly next to battle LeBron James. Sign up for stories about that game and other key news.
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