How It Happened
On the second of a back-to-back, the Knicks looked poised to keep the momentum rolling in Indianapolis after they built a double-digit lead in the first quarter. Behind a gigantic frontline and a deep bench, the Pacers worked the paint while outscoring New York 67-32 in the second and third quarters combined en route to a 103-82 victory. As mentioned above, the Knicks found success in the first frame by shooting 61.1 percent from the floor and 3-of-3 behind the arc. Carmelo Anthony opted to play despite the quick turnaround and scored 16 of his18 in the first half. Without Amar’e Stoudemire and the 7-foot presence of Cole Aldrich, the Pacers pounded the ball inside the box. Roy Hibbert’s size was too much handle as he scored 10 points in the third quarter and Indiana accumulated 50 points in the paint.
Knick of the Night
Lou Amundson was impactful early in the contest and fell just four points of matching his career high with 17 points in the contest. The Knicks newcomer shot 8-of-10 from the floor in 21 minutes of court time on Thursday evening.
Game Notes
Stoudemire (recovery) and Travis Wear (hip) did not dress for the Knicks. Aldrich suffered a contused left shin in the contest against the Thunder and did not make the trip to Indianapolis.
Next Up
The Knicks will have a day of rest upon returning to New York tonight. The squad is back in action on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM for a matchup against the Lakers at Madison Square Garden.