Game thread: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers 11/15/2021 7:30pm [Game #14]

The New York Knicks have a better record through 13 games this season than last season, when they were one of the biggest pleasant surprises in the NBA.

The Indiana Pacers have a worse record through 14 games this season than last, when they were one of the biggest disappointments in the league.

But the now-and-then records don't tell the tale for either team heading into Monday night, when the Knicks will look to reverse a recent slide by hosting the Pacers.

The Knicks have been off since Friday, when they squandered a 16-point lead and fell to the host Charlotte Hornets 104-96. The Pacers earned their second straight win Saturday by racing to a 20-point lead before edging the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 118-113.

The Knicks, who made the playoffs for the first time in seven years last spring after starting 5-8, appeared ready to build on that late success when they opened this season with five wins in their first six games. But New York has lost five of its last seven, a stretch in which one of its wins required a 21-point comeback against the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Chemistry within the starting five has been an issue as the Knicks, who signed Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier to go along with holdovers Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson.

Coach Tom Thibodeau elicited a spark by playing reserves for the final 14-plus minutes of a 112-100 loss to the Bucks last Wednesday in which New York overcame a 24-point deficit to briefly tie Milwaukee more than midway through the fourth quarter.

But there was no magic formula to be found Friday, when the Knicks were outscored 86-62 over the final three quarters. The loss dropped New York to 7-6, just 1 1/2 games ahead of the 12th-place Pacers in the Eastern Conference.

"It's going to take us five -- we've got to figure it out," Walker said Friday night. "We just have to, or else it won't be good for us. Won't be good for us. So it needs to get better. It just needs to get better."

Things have gotten better faster than anticipated for the Pacers, who started 8-6 last season but later traded franchise player Victor Oladipo before finishing 34-38. They lost the do-or-die play-in game to Washington in what turned out to be the lone season at the helm for head coach Nate Bjorkgren.

With star forward T.J. Warren out indefinitely because of a left-foot injury suffered last December, the Pacers appeared ready to embark upon a rebuilding plan when they hired Rick Carlisle for a second stint as head coach. But Indiana has gone 5-2 after a 1-6 start, with the two recent losses by a combined seven points in road games against the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets.

"We've just got to keep building," Carlisle said Saturday night. "We're building trust together. We're building a level of respect for one another. Winning games in the NBA this year is as difficult as I've ever seen it, from top to bottom."

--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)

watch out for Duarte.

Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .... The Bucks injury list had me LOL .. Our last 7 games looked like we were playing a championship team ending in 2-5 record.
The Randle & Kemba dribble-dribble-dribble after walking the ball down court on every offensive possession has to stop. The Knicks starters half-court offense is weak having to depend on perimeter jump-shots 90% of the time. Kemba has always been a ISO shoot-first PG, Fournier's perimeter shooting don't cover half of Bullocks all out hustle on both ends, and RJ Barrett is not a starter, nor does Barrett disappearing act belong on the 2nd unit lineup, he's not a SG or SF.
On Friday night the Hornets players actually gave our starters a 16 pt lead in the first quarter, because they knew they could outscore our starters by 20 pts in the 2nd half of the game.
The Hornets read our scouting report well.

Tonight, we have to face the Pacers play-maker Brogdon feeding Turner & Sabonis inside the paint, plus their rookie SG Duarte performance reminds me of SG/SF Olidipo. And coach Carlise have PG- T.J. McConnell working magic off the bench.

We need Melo to return to help Randle out and form the duo you've been waiting for, Kiya.

metrocard said:

watch out for Duarte.

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I have my binoculars ready.

Nice move from Walker to start off the game.

Randle has to provide a presence defensively. Sabonis is just getting what he wants without much effort. This will kill us throughout the game. Sabonis is a very difficult cover.

Fournier doesn't move enough without the ball, just kinda slugs around the court, takes difficult shots off the dribble. He's just not into making plays as a 4th option. Either we feature him more or bench him.

Kemba?s strong 1st quarters and then issues later in games recently make me wonder about his conditioning.

htr10 said:

Kemba?s strong 1st quarters and then issues later in games recently make me wonder about his conditioning.

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Now that Kemba is on the Knicks metro can train him.

Quickley with the two 3's to take the lead 24-20

RunningJumper said:

Now that Kemba is on the Knicks metro can train him.

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What's insane is I live in Soundview-Morrison ave here by the 6 train in the Bronx. If I go east, I'm a few blocks away from Kemba's hood.

Kemba just has to take it easy on his knees. Those kind of injuries really delay athletes. I worked in physical therapy as an assistant the last 7 years, met all kinds of injuries. I keep the expectations low on Kemba until the All-Star break. We have to be grateful we have Derrick Rose, also Miles McBride can be a catalyst for us. He may be the balance we need in terms of having a PG who can defend and run an offense. I love his grit and energy on the court. Sad not to see Thibs experiment with him.

Kiyaman said:

Quickley with the two 3's to take the lead 24-20

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Kiyaman are you believer in Obi Toppin? I feel like he can be a potential two way with range and nice skills to keep the ball moving. On the fastbreak, I love what he provides. We need more dunks overall as a team to keep our energy high and FG% high to open up us for 3s.

Obi with the poster!!!

Obi toppin boys!!!!! Lets gooo

No one on Indiana can stop in front of Rose.

The Knicks 2nd unit lineup are WINNERS !!!

guys....Fournier gives absolutely no effort defensively.

Just tuning in wondering what these offensive changes Thibs made and it seems he told them stop jacking 3s. The boys are going strong to the hole, going to check the box score but my bet is they won't be taking 30 3s tonight.

tiger0330 said:

Just tuning in wondering what these offensive changes Thibs made and it seems he told them stop jacking 3s. The boys are going strong to the hole, going to check the box score but my bet is they won't be taking 30 3s tonight.

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Nope, Knicks took 18 3s in the half so I was wrong about them not focusing on the 3. Though when you only hit 20pct maybe you should think about not taking one. Pacers with a 1 pt lead at the half.