BY: WEI TANG – SPORTS ON AIR USA CORRESPONDENT
NEW YORK — The Indiana Pacers took their high-octane to the Big Apple and pounced on the short-handed New York Knicks, 125-111, on Saturday at the Madison Square Garden.
Six players scored in double figures for Indiana, but their All-Star, Tyrese Haliburton, proved to be the catalyst of the offense with an all-around effort of 22 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.
“I contribute, I do what I can, but we have a lot of different guys who can contribute and tonight was a total team effort,” Haliburton said of the teammates who rallied behind him for the huge inter-conference win.
Myles Turner gutted the Knicks defense for 23. Paskal Siakam had 19 and six boards. T.J. McConnell finished with 16 and six dimes and Aaron Nesmith added 13 to the pile.
Indiana shot a blistering 61 percent from the field (50-of-82) and 48.3 percent from 3-point distance (14-of-29). They moved up to 30-24 in the standings and are on pace to finish in the top six in the Eastern Conference and gain an automatic playoff berth.
The injury-plagued Knicks, meanwhile, dropped two in a row, falling to 33-23 in the East. They played without starters Julius Randle (separated shoulder) and OG Anunoby (bone spurs). Also missing were centers Mitchell Robinson and Isaiaih Hartenstein.
Jalen Brunson had 39 for the Knicks and Alec Burks added 22. But it wasn’t enough for New York which hit only 10 of 32 from three-point land.
“We’re short-handed and we’re going to have to play a lot harder and a lot tougher,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
