If you were looking for the score of the pacers game last night, you probably already know it wasn't exactly the result Indiana fans were hoping for in a tight Eastern Conference battle. The Indiana Pacers fell to the New York Knicks 116-110 in a game that felt like a playoff preview, even if we're only in the middle of January. It was messy. It was loud. It was exactly the kind of physical basketball that makes the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd either lose their minds with joy or go home feeling a little bit cheated by the officiating.
Honestly, the final score doesn't tell the whole story. You've got to look at the fourth-quarter collapse to understand why Tyrese Haliburton looked so frustrated at the podium afterward. The Pacers led for a good chunk of the first half, but when the shots stopped falling in the final six minutes, the Knicks just bullied them in the paint. It’s a recurring theme for this roster.
Breaking Down the Pacers Performance
Let's look at the numbers because they’re actually kinda weird. Indiana shot 48% from the field, which usually wins you a game in this league. But they got absolutely hammered on the boards. New York pulled down 15 offensive rebounds. You can't give a team like that second and third chances, especially when Jalen Brunson is playing like he's possessed.
Haliburton finished with 22 points and 9 assists. Good? Yeah. Great? Not by his standards. He seemed a bit hesitant to attack the rim in the closing minutes, opting instead for some deep threes that just didn't rattle home. Myles Turner was a monster early on, swatting shots and stretching the floor, but he got into foul trouble midway through the third. That changed everything. When Turner sits, the Pacers' rim protection basically vanishes. It’s like leaving the front door open in a rainstorm and wondering why the carpet is wet.
Pascal Siakam had moments where he looked like the best player on the floor. His mid-range game is smooth, almost effortless. But even his 24 points couldn't offset the fact that the Pacers' bench—usually a huge strength—was outscored for the first time in three weeks.
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Why the Scoring Stalled in the Fourth
The score of the pacers game last night shifted dramatically because of one thing: fatigue. Rick Carlisle didn't go deep into his rotation. He stuck with the starters, and by the time the four-minute mark hit in the fourth quarter, the legs were gone.
Everything became stagnant.
In the first half, the ball was zipping around. There were "hockey assists" everywhere. By the end, it was just isolation play after isolation play. That's not Pacers basketball. When this team stops moving the ball, they become incredibly predictable. Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks' coach, is way too smart to let a stagnant offense beat him. He choked the passing lanes and dared the Pacers to beat them one-on-one. They couldn't.
Defensive Lapses and the Glass
If you want to get technical, the game was lost in the "non-box score" categories. It’s the hustle plays. There was a specific sequence with about three minutes left where Josh Hart—who seems to be everywhere at once—ripped an offensive rebound away from two Pacers defenders. That led to a kick-out three. That’s a five-point swing in a game decided by six.
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Defense has always been the Achilles' heel for this Indiana squad. They want to outscore you 140 to 135. That works against the bottom-feeders of the league, but when the game slows down and the refs let the players get physical, the Pacers struggle to get stops.
- Total Rebounds: Knicks 52, Pacers 38
- Points in the Paint: Knicks 54, Pacers 46
- Second Chance Points: Knicks 21, Pacers 9
Looking at those figures, it’s a miracle the score remained as close as it did. Indiana’s transition offense kept them in it, but you can’t run if you don't get the rebound.
The Playoff Implications
Everyone is watching the standings right now. This loss drops Indiana further into the play-in tournament conversation, which is a dangerous place to be. They’re currently hovering around that 6th and 7th seed line. A win last night would have given them a tiebreaker advantage over New York that could have been massive come April.
Now, they have to look over their shoulder. The East is a gauntlet this year. Teams like Orlando and Miami are lurking, and a two-game skid can take you from "hosting a playoff series" to "fighting for your life in a single-elimination game."
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The fans in Indy are patient, but they want to see this team take the next step. Bringing in Siakam was a "win-now" move. You don't make that trade if you're okay with moral victories. They need to figure out how to close these games against physical, veteran teams.
What's Next for the Blue and Gold
There isn't much time to mope. The NBA schedule is relentless. The Pacers are heading out on a three-game road trip starting tomorrow, and if they don't shore up their defensive rebounding, it's going to be a long week.
Coach Carlisle mentioned in the post-game that they need to "find their identity" again on the defensive end. It's a nice sentiment, but identity doesn't grab rebounds—effort does. They need more from the wing positions. Bennedict Mathurin had a quiet night, and they really need his aggression off the bench to balance out the scoring.
The score of the pacers game last night is a reminder that talent alone doesn't win in the Eastern Conference. You need grit. You need to be able to win a game when your shots aren't falling and the whistle isn't going your way.
Actionable Takeaways for Pacers Fans
To really understand where this team is going, keep an eye on these specific metrics over the next five games. Don't just look at the final score; look at the "how" and the "why."
- Monitor the Rebounding Margin: If the Pacers are being out-rebounded by more than five, they are likely losing. They don't have the defensive consistency to overcome giving away extra possessions.
- Watch the Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: When Haliburton is hovering around 10+ assists with 2 or fewer turnovers, the Pacers usually win. Last night, the team had 14 turnovers, which is too high for their style of play.
- The "Fourth Quarter Flow": Check if the ball movement stays consistent in the final five minutes. If it turns into "hero ball," it’s a bad sign for their postseason aspirations.
- Health of the Rotation: Pay attention to the injury report regarding Aaron Nesmith. His perimeter defense was sorely missed last night, and his return is crucial for stopping elite scoring guards.
The road ahead isn't easy, but the Pacers have the pieces. They just need to put them together for a full 48 minutes rather than 42.