Game thread: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers 1/4/2021 7:30pm [Game #38]

The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks looked to be going in different directions the last time they opposed each other.

On Tuesday night, both undermanned teams will just hope to stave off a slide toward the lottery when New York is slated to host Indiana in the final regular-season game between the Eastern Conference rivals.

Each club was off Monday following road losses Sunday. The Pacers squandered a double-digit second-half lead in a 108-104 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks fell to the Toronto Raptors, 120-105.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Pacers, who have seven players in COVID-19 protocol after Caris LeVert and Goga Bitadze were added to the list prior to tip-off Sunday. Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Jeremy Lamb and Kelan Martin are also sidelined in protocol. Brogdon, LeVert and Duarte rank first, third and fifth, respectively, for the Pacers in scoring.

The Pacers put themselves in position for a stirring win Sunday by mounting a 22-9 run to take an 84-73 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter. But the Cavaliers scored the final 15 points of the period and led by as many as nine in the fourth quarter.

Indiana fell to 2-7 since a three-game winning streak that ended Dec. 10. That winning streak included a 122-102 victory over the Knicks on Dec. 8.

The Pacers enter Tuesday in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, four games out of a play-in spot.

"Their run at the end of the third was the difference in the game, so that was tough," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of the loss to the Cavaliers. "I'm proud of the way the guys competed all night, which makes this a really disappointing result, given the effort that was given."

The Knicks haven't been at .500 since entering the game against the Pacers at 12-12. That loss marked the start of a 5-8 stretch for New York, which won three in a row from Dec. 25-29 to move within a game of the break-even mark before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder 95-80 on New Year's Eve.

The Knicks enter Tuesday in 11th place in the East, one game behind the Raptors and Boston Celtics, who are tied for the final two play-in spots. Their attempts to climb the standings have been complicated by a string of injuries and COVID-19 absences.

New York starting center Mitchell Robinson entered the health and safety protocol Saturday, two days after starting forward Julius Randle was sidelined. A trio of assistant coaches -- Johnnie Bryant, Kenny Payne and Daisuke Yoshimoto -- are also in the protocol.

Point guard Derrick Rose is also out until at least mid-February following ankle surgery while Kemba Walker, who had a resurgent run as the starting point guard in late December, has missed the last two games with a sore left knee.

On Sunday, the Knicks led just once at 5-4 and trailed by as many as 25 in the fourth quarter before ending the game on a 20-10 run.

"We have three starters down," said the Knicks' Evan Fournier, who scored a team-high 20 points Sunday. "The margin of error is smaller. So we have to play better, period."

Backup Knicks center Nerlens Noel, who has missed the last six games while on the COVID-19 list, is close to a return but was ruled out Tuesday.

Game preview courtesy of:
--Field Level Media

(STATS / cbssports.com)

Thanks for the Game-Thread Rady .. the past two games showed clearly the inconsistency from Barrett & Fournier skills & efforts does not belong in a NBA starter lineup. And coach Thibs coaching fell off dramatically since assistant coach Woodson quit at the end of the regular season last year.

Tonight game vs the Pacers may become damaging to the Knicks in the effort department, especially if the Pacers come with the same energy performance they had in their previous game against the Cavs.

Dark Raider said:

**CORRECTION IN THE STARTING LINEUP!!

MVP Julius Randle is out of Med. Protocol and will be able to play tonite against the Pacers.

Sound strange doesn't it.... Knox stayed in M.P. for a few games and now Randle is out after one game. Was he ever really come in contact with anything?

Click to expand...

Correction .. The past 3 seasons Julius Randle has been the Knicks Most Minute Player on the court calling all the plays on offense for 40 minute per game. In the 3 seasons Randle probably missed 4 games, including the 2 games this season.

Julius Randle has been cleared from NBA Health and Safety protocols and is questionable to play tonight vs. Indiana.

Randle is starting tonight along with Burks, Fournier, Barrett and Gibson.

I wanted to see Kemba without Randle in a rotation

Barrett on fire, 6-6.

RJ with 19 points in the first quarter?

That was a sweet move by RJ on Turner.

Why am I missing the D.Rose (Bench) lineup without any of the Knicks starters in it ???

The tandem Toppin & MitchRob should've receive more than 5 min, Knicks had a 12 pt lead, now having Randle & Gibson the lead went to 6 in less than two minute

Tied at half? 55-55.

Knicks shot 4-18 from downtown in first half?. Indy 7-21.

If they score 2 points on 5 of those 14 missed shots, they lead by 10.

Does it make sense shooting something you make 4 times in 18 tries?

Haftime .. Tied at 55

Barretts driving to the basket tonight has been working for 24 pts in the first half.

This is ridiculous.

We?re playing against teams that are playing sub-G league talent against us. We got to be winning these games.

Sykes and Washington have 30?. Evan has 0 and AB with 9 points.

Evan and AB can?t even match what 2 G-Leaguers are going, who weren?t on a roster last season.

This is why you don?t give 10-20 mil for barely above league-average players.

Knicks should be up 20, but NYK guards can?t even compete with the 17-18th man on Indy?s roster.

RJ with 30 points on 18 shots. RJ and Randle just trying to bully ball our way to the finish. Whatever it takes. Doesn?t have to be pretty.

RJ and Randle have combined for 55 points in 3 quarters. Randle already with the double double. MRob making some plays at the hoop.

Need to distance ourselves in the 4th and win this one convincingly.

T-Craig off bench has twice as many points as IQ.


NYK in bonus most of third but missed 5-6 FTs?. So 7 point lead after 3, they should be up 27

Obi has only gotten six minutes so far tonight yet G-Leaguers around the NBA are getting more minutes than him.

IQ misses 2 shots? Anderson makes his shots? 7 point lead gone Quickly.

Indy is getting a whistle every possession now?

Indy in bonus with 9 minutes left. Probably have 6 FT attempts already in the 4

Meanwhile, Turner destroys IQ and it?s a play-on?