Pascal Siakam scored 30 points and Andrew Nembhard added 24 points and 10 assists as the Indiana Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 137-134 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Indiana seized control early in the extra session, scoring the first nine points of overtime, and withstood a frantic Knicks rally in the final seconds. New York poured in eight points over the last 20 seconds of OT but ran out of time in its comeback attempt.
The Pacers showcased balanced scoring, with eight players finishing in double figures. Indiana’s bench played a pivotal role, outscoring New York’s reserves 43-18. The victory was especially notable for a team that entered tied for the league’s fewest road wins and owning the Eastern Conference’s worst road winning percentage. The Pacers were also without center Ivica Zubac, who sat out with an ankle injury.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 40 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Josh Hart recorded his second triple-double of the season with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out with 2:14 left in overtime.
The game featured 39 lead changes, the most in the NBA this season. Indiana appeared on the verge of closing it out in regulation when it built a four-point lead with 1:49 remaining. But the Knicks answered with a 7-3 run, capped by Towns sinking two free throws with 0.2 seconds left after being fouled by Aaron Nesmith to force overtime.
New York, which entered the night tied for the NBA’s second-most home wins with 21, suffered just its second loss in the past 11 games and its seventh defeat in 28 home contests. Indiana earned its first win at Madison Square Garden since taking two of three meetings against the Knicks in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Up next:
Pacers at Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Knicks at Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
