Game Preview: Knicks on Pacers, February 11, 2025

Saturday night, New York Knicks (34-18) lost badly to the Eastern Conference Second Seed, the Boston Celtics. Tonight, in the first game of a back-to-back, they visit the fourth seeds of Indiana Pacers (29-22). Will Knicks win the season series that is currently tied to 1-1 and set more distance between them and the rising pacers?

When they last visited Gainbridge Fieldhouse, November 10, 2024, Knicks lost 132-121. Bennedict Mathurin led Pacers with a career hill 38 points, including seven three-pointers, and eight rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton added 35 points, 14 assists and two steals. Myles Turner contributed 26 points and six rebounds. For Knicks, Jalen Brunson logged 33 points and 10 assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 30 points and nine rebounds. Indiana secured the victory with a 40-27 fourth quarter.

Rick Carlisles Club has won seven of their last 10 matches. They live up to their name, playing in the league’s eighth fastest speed, and their offensive rating (115.6) ranks tenth. But this is still not a defensively concerned club that ranks 21. and most of their shooting attempts come from the arch. Although they do not fire so often from deeply, the 37% from the big one beyond. Look for them to hoist more bombs than usual tonight considering Knicks’ reputation for a soft circumference.

In Frontcourt, the Haliburton procession leads with 17.8 points and 8.5 assists per year. Match this season. His three-point shooting is up to 37%, but he is such a strange cat: On January 29, he scored 30 points and eight assists against the stamps; Five nights later he scored 0 points and six dimes. Which version of this guy will we see tonight? Someone Guess.

Indiana’s shooting guard Andrew NemBard average 10.6 points and five assists while shooting 32% from the center of 2.4 attempts. Just our luck he goes 7-of-8 from deep tonight. In their frontcourt, the long forward Bennedict Mathurin (16.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG) and Pascal Siakam (20.7 PG, 7.4 RPG) will pose a challenge for their Knicks colleagues; And their center, Turner, is a decision on game time with a neck question.

On Knicks’ Damage Report: And Anunoby is questionable with its ongoing foot/toe things, and Josh Hart is likely with the tenderness of the knee. Karl-Anthony Towns seemed to be hampered by his knee problem in the Boston loss, but he was not included in the latest report we saw.

Forecast

ESPN.com favors pacers of 58%. Okie-Dokie. Knicks wiped out Indiana in the second game of the season, 123-98, because of outscoring them by 15 in the second and third quarter. New York should stick to this strategy to avoid repeating their last loss to Pacers. In fact, a lovely 15-point lead that enters the fourth quarter can be Jussst Enough to transport New York to a slim victory. With Knicks’ starters running up and down the field for three quarters, Pacers are sure to be fresher and more effective down on the stretch. Take the heart: There is only one more game left before the All-Star break. New York falls evening slope by three.

Waste details

Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Time: 19:30 et

Place: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

TV Broadcast: TNT, MSG Network

Follow: @PTKNicksblog and BSKY