The Knicks bounce back against Pacers in home opener

What a difference a few days—and a home crowd—can make! After an ugly opening loss to the Celtics, the New York Knicks came home with something to prove, and they made sure to leave no doubt against the Indiana Pacers, the team that booted them from the playoffs last season. This time around, the tables were turned, and the Knicks absolutely crushed Indiana in a 123-98 blowout.

The new additions? They showed up in a big way. Karl-Anthony Towns looked much more comfortable on his second night as a Knick, dropping 21 points and grabbing 15 boards. Mikal Bridges was right there with him, also scoring 21 on an efficient 8-12 from the field, and he threw in 5 assists for good measure. These guys weren’t just padding the stat sheet—they were setting the tone.

The Knicks were actually down 35-34 midway through the second quarter, but then, bam—they flipped a switch. In what was probably the highlight stretch of the game, they went on a 27-10 run to close out the half, leaving the Pacers reeling and the Madison Square Garden crowd buzzing. Up 61-45 at halftime, New York never looked back.

Their rhythm only got stronger in the second half. They poured on another 34 points in the third quarter while holding Indiana to just 19, making it crystal clear who was in control. By the time the third quarter ended, all five Knicks starters were already in double figures—a complete turnaround from their disjointed performance in Boston.

Jalen Brunson led the way, scoring a game-high 26 points, while Josh Hart added an impressive 20 points and 10 rebounds. This wasn’t just one player carrying the load; it was a total team effort, with everyone getting a piece of the action.

And the Pacers? It was a rough night, to say the least. Their star, Tyrese Halliburton, went scoreless. That’s right, a big goose egg, shooting 0-8 from the field and an ice-cold 0-7 from three. In fact, he’s now 1-16 from beyond the arc on the season, a stat that tells you just how rough things have been for him lately. His cold shooting set the tone for the Pacers’ entire night from deep, as they went an abysmal 3-30 from three. Meanwhile, the Knicks shot a respectable 12-27 from beyond the arc, widening the gap.

The Pacers’ bench actually outscored their starters, 57-31, with Benedict Mathurin leading the way off the pine with 20 points. But when your bench has to outshine your starting lineup by that much, you know something’s gone wrong.

This game was just what the Knicks needed to get their season back on track and to send a message to the team that ended their playoff run last season. With Towns and Bridges settling in and the starters all firing together, they looked every bit the cohesive unit they want to be this season. If they can keep up this rhythm, the Knicks might be a lot more dangerous than people expected.

Up-next: The New York Knicks (1-1) will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (2-0) on Monday night.