All-Star forward Pascal Siakam scored 30 points and two-way guard Quinton Jackson scored 19 points, including seven in overtime, to lead the Pacers to a 137-134 win over the Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in one of the most back-and-forth games in the NBA this season. The Eastern Conference finals rematch featured 39 lead changes — the most in an NBA game this season — and 16 ties.
The Pacers ended their four-game losing streak with a record of 14-40, but still ranked last in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks have a record of 34 wins and 20 losses, slipping from second to third in the Eastern Conference.
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Pacers point guard Andrew Nembhard had 24 points and 10 assists, and eight Pacers players scored in double figures. Point guard TJ McConnell scored 13 points and forward Aaron Nesmith scored 11 points. Centers Jay Huff and Micah Potter and guard Ben Sheppard each scored 10 points. Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson scored 40 points and 8 assists. All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 points and 14 rebounds in overtime before fouling out and leaving the game. Swingman Josh Hart had a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, and guard Landry Shamet had 17 points.
Here are three observations.
Quinton Jackson scores big win in overtime
The Pacers have had to bench the guard on a two-way contract in recent games to ensure he doesn’t reach the 50-game limit that comes with playing for a major club. He has appeared in just two G League games this season with the Noblesville Boom and 25 NBA games, but is active in many more.
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However, with forward Johnny Forfe out with a torn ACL and forward Jaras Walker out with an illness, the Pacers will need everyone to pull together. Furphy’s injury created a hole in the starting lineup, which Jackson filled as the starting shooting guard.
As usual, Jackson was ready for this moment, even under the garden’s brightest lights. He hit a 3-pointer in the first half but got better as the game went on. He hit two three-pointers in the third quarter to help the Pacers tie the score, and hit a free throw in the fourth quarter to give the Pacers the lead. When the game entered overtime, Jackson made a big play to give the Pacers the lead and then helped them stay ahead.
Jackson started the overtime scoring drive with a power layup and a left-handed finish with 3:51 left in overtime. Later, after Pascal Siakam broke through for a layup, he received a pass from Siakam and scored a three-pointer to help the Pacers lead by 7 points.
Andrew Nembhard’s pull-up jumper gave the Pacers a nine-point lead, and the Knicks hit two 3-pointers in the final 20 seconds from Shamet and Brunson, but Jackson was fouled with 3.9 seconds left and made both free throws to end the game.
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Jackson scored 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-6 three-pointers. He made 5 of 6 free throws and had 6 rebounds and 3 assists.
Pacers come off the bench
The Pacers’ bench has been challenged all season, and while the team has overcome most of its injuries, last week’s developments have put them in trouble again.
Furphy’s injury is one of the worst they’ve dealt with this year, and Walker’s absence has given them one of their most consistent players in recent weeks, as he’s scored in double figures in each of nine games. This is the first game Walker has missed all season. The Pacers are still without center Ivica Zubac after last week’s trade, so they actually only have 10 players available Tuesday.
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But all 10 players made significant contributions, each playing at least 16 minutes. Only two of the 10 players failed to score in double figures, and 9 of the 10 players scored at least 9 points. As has been the case with heavier rosters in recent seasons, depth was the Pacers’ trump card against the Knicks, with the Pacers outscoring the Knicks’ bench 43-18. McConnell led the team with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Ben Shepard had 10 points and 7 rebounds on 4-of-5 shooting.
Kobe Brown has solid performance in Pacers debut
The Pacers are still awaiting Ivica Zubac’s debut as he slowly heals from a sprained ankle. However, forward Kobe Brown – also acquired from the Clippers in a trade for Benedict Maturin, Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks – did make his debut on Tuesday and made an impressive impact on both ends of the floor, especially on the glass.
Brown came off the bench, hit his first three shots, and continued to hit the boards. He scored 8 points on 3-of-4 shooting, hit the only three-pointer, and grabbed 6 rebounds. One of them was an offensive rebound that turned into a Micah Porter three-pointer. With Furphy’s injury and Walker’s illness, Brown played 18 minutes and 52 seconds, creating an opening on the wing, and the Pacers were +13 in his minutes.
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Dustin Dopilak has played all season for the Pacers. Get more coverage with IndyStarTV and the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. Knicks: 39-game lead ends in Indiana 137-134 in overtime
