Knicks Look to Extend Win Streak Against Injury-Plagued Pacers
The New York Knicks aim to maintain their dominant form Tuesday night as they host the Indiana Pacers in the second matchup between Eastern Conference rivals this season. New York has surged to the second place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-in-10 win streak, while Indiana continues to spiral at the bottom of the conference standings.
The Pacers enter the contest with a franchise-worst 13-40 record following a 122-104 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Super Bowl Sunday. Indiana has dropped four consecutive games and sits 26.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons in the Central Division. The Knicks, meanwhile, improved to 34-19 after cruising past the Boston Celtics 111-89, tying Boston for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Knicks vs Pacers: Form and Momentum
New York’s recent success has been particularly dominant, with seven of their last nine victories coming by double digits. Five wins have come by at least 20 points, including three by 30 or more. The Knicks’ only recent blemish was an 118-80 home loss to Detroit on Friday, when starters Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby sat out along with new backup guard Jose Alvarado, acquired from New Orleans last week.
Head coach Mike Brown, hired after Tom Thibodeau’s dismissal following last season’s Eastern Conference Finals loss to Indiana, praised his team’s resilience despite the Detroit setback. “Our group is resilient,” Brown said. “Sometimes things like that happen. Give Detroit a lot of credit, but we know it’s not who we are. We’ve played a lot better than that.”
Pacers Face Mounting Injury Concerns
Indiana’s championship window appeared to close permanently when star guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles in the first quarter of the NBA Finals last June, an injury that will sideline him for the entire season. The franchise is now on pace for its worst record in history.
The Pacers’ injuries have continued mounting. Second-year forward Johnny Furphy suffered a torn ACL injury while landing awkwardly following a dunk in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to Toronto. The Australian native, who had shown considerable promise after starting 21 of his 35 appearances this season, was helped from the court in a wheelchair.
Indiana was already without center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown, recently acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. Zubac is managing a left ankle injury sustained in December and was on paternity leave at the time of the trade.
Looking Ahead
The contrast between these two franchises could not be starker. Last year at this time, both teams were preparing for the NBA Finals. Now, the Knicks are positioning themselves as Eastern Conference contenders while the Pacers are searching for answers amid organizational uncertainty and injuries to key contributors.
