Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers 7:00 pm 1/7/2017 [Game#37]

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks in an Eastern Conference showdown on Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Pacers (19-18) have won four straight games, which is their longest winning streak of the season.

The teams matched up in New York last month and the Knicks put together a come-from-behind win, 118-111 behind Carmelo Anthony's 35 points.

Indiana led by as many as 15 points in that game, but New York put together a huge run in the fourth quarter. The Pacers, however, have been much better on their home floor this season (14-5), presenting the Knicks with a big challenge.

Paul George has been on fire lately, averaging 28.6 points in his last five games. The Pacers are 10-2 this season when George scores 25 or more points.

The Pacers have averaged 117.5 points per game during their four-game win streak, including 121 points in their previous win over the Nets.

George credits better ball movement for the recent hot stretch. "Before, it was guys doing everything on their own," George told The Indianapolis Star. "Now, it's more organized. We move the ball and we know who has a good look and there's not selfishness in the shot selection."

Point guard Jeff Teague has also been on fire of late, averaging 16.7 points and 10.7 assists per game in January. He averaged 16 points and 8.9 assists in December.

"Coach pulled me aside a couple weeks ago and told me he wants me to move the ball and he wants me to try to get in the lane and kick out," Teague said. "I think it just became contagious. We're all just trying to get it to the open man and get our teammates open shots."

The Knicks (17-19) just snapped a six-game losing streak by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 116-111 on Friday night.

Kristaps Porzingis returned after missing the previous three games and scored 24 points. The Knicks trailed by 13 points heading into the fourth quarter and came back to win.

Playing on a back-to-back after a comeback win won't be an easy task, but the Knicks are just glad to be back in the win column again.

"This club's going through adversity right now," Knicks center Joakim Noah said. "There's no question about it. Losing sucks. We've just got to bounce back."

"Making strides, that's all you can ask," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. "If we continue to do that, we're going to win games."

Both teams are averaging 105 points per game this season, but the Knicks have given up more to their opponents.

They've given up 100 or more points in seven consecutive games.

The Pacers have defeated the Knicks in eight straight games when playing in Indianapolis. New York is just 6-12 on the road so far this season.

Rodney Stuckey (hamstring) is still out for the Pacers. The Knicks expect to be fully healthy.

(cbssports.com)

9 turnovers in the first quarter (after having 11 TO in the second Q last night).... another 33 point Q.... Indy starts second on a 12-2 run.... same old Knicks.... down 14 already.

More turnovers.... lead approaching 20.... man, passing and ball movement is foreign to NYK. Let's just shoot long jumpers and play 1 on 1 and then try to make the spectacular pass. Can we plz bring in baker and bench toae for a little bit again.

Wth 5 to play before halftime, Melo is 0-4 from the field.... he just missed a FT. He has 1 point.

Melo just missed a reverse layup... 18-5 Indy in the second.

Now NY just getting out hustled.... Not sure why Baker can't play tonight after what he did yesterday and how poorly Rose is playing.... NY is shot 4-20 in the second.... there is zero ball movement.... have to question Horny's rotation.... Old Melo has. Othing.... Lee isn't doing anything.... they allow another sixty point first half.... down by 20 at the half. Just sit the old farts.... again, if you're not watching, it's hard to put in words how bad this team is playing.

No need to watch the second half.... 0-7 in second game of back-2-backs.... I believe this is b/c this team doesn't believe in moving the ball or attacking the rim. They rely on jump shots and reaching on defense. After they past 2 weeks, let's see what sort of heartbthis team has in the second half.... I think we pretty much trail wire to wire and spend entire second half down by about 7-16 points.

Melo has 4 assists and Noah has 3 assists.... Rose, Lee, BJ, Holiday combined have 2 assists. Time to break out Kuz and Baker....

Anther team to amass 90 before the 4th.... last I saw it was 20-0 second chance point in favor of Indy.... rose just threw ball away.... I have no idea why Horny won't bench DR for Baker again?

Nice Game-Thread Rady .. the Pacers coach McMillan started the game at an uptempo level running a 10 man rotation at us to get a 20 pt lead on their home court .. knowing we played last night in Milwaukie

Baker-Kuz-KP-BJ back at it again.... nearly cut a 25 point deficit ton10 with 6 to go but apparently the refs stopped calling fouls, as BJ is hip checked, hacked, and shoved to floor on 3 consecutive possesions but only gets FT on 1/3 fouls.


wait.... Indy just gets 2 FTs on a touch foul.

BJ missed 2 FT and Kuz missed 2 threes.... Indy hasn't scored a hoop in 5 minutes but refs start calling everything now (after not calling anything all game).... Willy was hit in face (yet no ejection) and no refs start calling everything and that has hurt Knicks, of course.

again, why did Horny wait until 4th to go to this unit? 29 point deficit down to 12 on a Kuz drive and dunk.

BJ 3-6 from FT line last few minutes.... Indy is 26-26 from FT line. Almost cut it below 10.... oh well....

Very evident to me that only the players who played in Europe or the other white guys (Baker) knows how to play the way the head coach wants them to play.

Jennings ran the point in Europe.

I missed most of the first half on TV, listened to some on the radio on the way home which took longer than usual because of the snow. Did Baker not play until the late third/fourth quarter again? What is with Hornacek and his rotation of the rookies?

Didn't see it but thanks Mafra for keeping the game thread going. Knicks allowed the opposing team 60 pts again at the half but this time they allowed 60 pts in the second half also, allowing 120 pts plus is going to get you beat 90% of the time unless you're the Warriors or Rockets.

Defense is still the issue and has got to be addressed. Horn has to start juggling that lineup to get better chemistry or PJ needs to bring in some help via a trade, bring up Randle, do something to fix this including bringing Melo off the bench.

Randle has a tryout with the Sixers so expect to lose him if they like him, they got a roster spot and plenty of cap space to sign him to more than a 10 day.

mafra said:

9 turnovers in the first quarter (after having 11 TO in the second Q last night).... another 33 point Q.... .

Click to expand...

is there any way that we can put the blame on the refs... any chance???

paris401 said:

is there any way that we can put the blame on the refs... any chance???

Click to expand...

Refs are the least of our problems. It's still early and there are a lot of games left but if we don't make the playoffs heads better roll, fire PJ and tell Melo he's no longer needed in NY because we're going to rebuild through the draft.

I think it's time to assess the value of Rose & Lee on the open market.... we should be able to land a draft pick and a young asset for these 2.

call-up Randle and commit to a BJ-Holiday starting back court with Baker and Randle as the backups.... Play KP and Melo less minutes, and get Kuz and Willy more time. Build for the future. If these young players develop some, bring in something in a trade, have 2 rooki s and a big free agent.... this team could be starting to build something sustainsble.

Melo, KP, Rose, Noah, Lee just doesn't work defensively and aren't consistent enough offensively to outscore opponents.

snd, yes, refs still suck.