nba
Pacers Survive Knicks’ Final Push Behind Zubac’s Work Inside
With 2.8 seconds left, OG Anunoby jumped a Pascal Siakam pass and gave the champion Knicks one last chance. New York had climbed from 13 points down, but Karl-Anthony Towns’ turnaround jumper missed with less than a…
With 2.8 seconds left, OG Anunoby jumped a Pascal Siakam pass and gave the champion Knicks one last chance. New York had climbed from 13 points down, but Karl-Anthony Towns’ turnaround jumper missed with less than a second remaining. Indiana held on, 106-104, turning a wild final minute into a needed home win.
The Pacers entered at 4-8, trying to build a new run after a difficult start. The Knicks, 6-5 and defending NBA champions, arrived with Jalen Brunson ready to steer another late comeback. Instead, Indiana used second chances near the basket and a balanced attack to improve to 5-8.
Andrew Nembhard opened the game with a layup and pull-up jumper, but New York answered quickly. Anunoby buried a long three after a Nembhard turnover, and Towns powered inside and out as the Knicks built an 18-9 lead. Then Indiana’s reserve group changed the pace. Reserve forward-center Jay Huff hit two three-pointers and finished an alley-oop layup, helping the Pacers erase the gap. Larry Nance Jr.’s tip shot made it 27-26 Knicks after one quarter.
Siakam took control early in the second. He hit a three, kept drawing fouls, and helped Indiana move ahead. T.J. McConnell added seven assists, including two on a tough sequence in which Ivica Zubac grabbed three offensive rebounds before finally scoring. Those extra chances mattered. Indiana pushed its lead to 58-49 by halftime when Aaron Nesmith drilled a three and added a technical free throw.
The Pacers stretched the lead to 83-69 in the third quarter. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored inside, Nembhard found teammates, and Zubac kept owning the glass. Zubac finished with 13 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds. Each one gave Indiana another try after a miss and helped the Pacers win the rebounding battle 50-43.
But Brunson would not let the game drift away. He scored 33 points and handed out 11 assists, using deep threes, drives, and free throws to pull New York within 85-84 entering the fourth. The Knicks finally tied it at 87 when Anunoby made a three-pointer, but Nembhard answered with a pull-up jumper and then a three for a 95-89 lead.
Indiana’s lead reached 102-89 before New York charged again. Brunson drove for a layup, Towns hit a three, and Mikal Bridges sank a pull-up jumper with 10.2 seconds left to make it 106-104. Siakam missed two free throws, then threw the late pass that Anunoby stole. Still, Towns’ final shot did not fall.
Towns finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Siakam led Indiana with 19 points and Nesmith added 18. The Pacers now turn toward Philadelphia carrying proof that their effort around the rim can close tight games. The Knicks head to Toronto knowing their comeback spirit remains strong, but this chapter belonged to Indiana’s extra work when every possession counted.