The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 109-105. Jalen Brunson capped off a special night with a clutch performance.
The New York Knicks extended their winning streak with a 109-105 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks added Quentin Grimes to their list of missing players, which already included OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson. But the shorthanded Knicks showed up ready to fight, scrapping through a physically taxing battle to pull off the win.
The game started with New York reeling. The Pacers led almost the entire first half, with that lead ballooning to 15 points and threatening to turn into a blowout. But the Knicks found ways to keep the game within reach, and the half ended with scrappy plays from big men and a scoring outburst from Jalen Brunson.
The third quarter didn’t look far removed from the first half. The Knicks would tease a run before Indiana hit a big shot or two to retake momentum. The quarter ended with Deuce McBride hitting big shots and energizing the second unit. That energy gave New York life in the fourth when Jalen Brunson entered and closed the game out with another explosion to steal victory in a game the Knicks trailed from the first minute until the final five.
While Brunson put the offense on his back, plenty of others found moments to step up and have an impact. Let’s examine the performances and see how the Knicks won while missing half of their regular rotation.
Jalen Brunson carries New York’s starting line-up
Jalen Brunson: 40 PTS (15/30 FG, 1/6 3PT, 9/11 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 2 TO in 37 mins
The Indiana Pacers beat Jalen Brunson up. Myles Turner ran him over early in the first, and the refs missed multiple instances of arm grabs, bumps, and even a hit in the face. I’m starting with the physicality to emphasize the difficulty Brunson fought through. He faced double-teams, constant physicality, and some awful reffing without his second or third option to lean on. Brunson still turned in 40 points on 50% from the field.
Brunson fought for every basket. He finished through contact using every trick we’ve seen throughout his tenure in New York. The Pacers often sent double-teams at him as soon as he crossed half-court, daring anyone else to beat him. So, Brunson had to be picky about his spots or find clever ways to get the ball with a defender in isolation.
Brunson attacked relentlessly, picking up a starting unit that lacked spacing or a hot hand. He was the starting unit’s offense from the second quarter on despite the frequent double-teams and constant assaults from defenders. Brunson finished the night inundated by much-deserved MVP chants. New York’s superstar gets a 5 out of 5.
Donte DiVincenzo: 20 PTS (8/26 FG, 4/16 3PT), 3 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 38 mins
Donte DiVincenzo started the game hot. He took a pair of weak-side passes to the rim for quick finishes, then knocked down early jumpers. But DiVo cooled off after the hot start, missing more open jumpers than he probably did throughout January. The Pacers did well to keep him out of the paint as well.
DiVincenzo’s poor shooting didn’t sap his effort. He continued to play in attack mode, necessary for the depleted Knicks. DiVo kept the pressure on defenders and provided his own tough defense at the opposite end. He struggled to hit shots but helped in every other way imaginable.
Scoring this performance is tricky. The inefficiency screams off the page, but the Big Ragu needed to stay aggressive. He did a lot to pull defenders away from Brunson or create space that the big men would take advantage of. So, despite poor shooting, I’ll give DiVincenzo a passing 2.5 out of 5.
Josh Hart: 5 PTS (0/6 FG, 0/3 3PT, 5/6 FT), 3 AST, 12 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 38 mins
Josh Hart never scored a field goal in this game. We’re used to him taking limited field goals, but Hart typically finds a transition opportunity or defensive breakdown to sneak in some scoring. Outside of a few trips to the line, Josh never got his offense going this time.
But Hart did what he does best: grabbing rebounds and turning up the court. The Pacers’ transition D was their strongest element, but even so, the Josh Hart push proved helpful. Indy kept forcing the ball out of Brunson’s hands across half-court, so a Hart push could stave off their double-team and give the Knicks’ point guard some extra space and time to attack.
Hart’s defense was strong as well. Consider that Buddy Hield was MIA all night, and Aaron Nesmith cooled off after early scoring, and you’ll recognize the Knicks’ wing defense deserves a shout-out. So Hart turns a night without field goal into a 2.5 out of 5 through sheer guts and effort.
Precious Achiuwa: 12 PTS (5/16 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/4 FT), 16 REB, 4 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 43 mins
If you missed the game, Precious Achiuwa’s 12 points on 16 attempts might steal your attention away from his 16 boards and six Stocks. Don’t let that happen because Achiuwa’s effort was massive and contagious. The biggest reaction from the crowd in the first half came off Precious diving to free a loose ball from Pascal Siakim; his constant pressure for offensive rebounds left the Pacers scrambling to figure out which Knicks’ big to box out.
Achiuwa’s effort included some fantastic defense on Pascal Siakim. That particularly stood out late in the game when Precious defended Siakim in isolation through clutch time. Sometimes, the Knicks rewarded Achiuwa with an extra opportunity on offense, and those didn’t always work out. But the looks were earned, and even his three-point attempts came within the offensive flow despite missing.
Precious may not have scored efficiently, but his activity gave life to the entire team. He and Isaiah Hartenstein dominated the interior on a night the Knicks gave up size at every other position. Achiuwa and I-Hart screaming in celebration was the most retweeted image on my Twitter timeline. Achiuwa gets a 3 out of 5 for turning in an immense effort but needing better efficiency to go higher.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 12 PTS (6/8 FG, 0/1 FT), 6 AST, 19 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 36 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein looked like a monster, which isn’t easy standing next to Myles Turner all night. I-Hart started the night as the connector for a majority of New York’s offense. With the Pacers pressing Brunson, Hartenstein often received the ball off short rolls and sprayed passes from the middle of the floor. If the defense stayed disciplined, he’d run a dribble handoff to free up space for Brunson or DiVo to attack.
But Hartenstein wasn’t finished after he made some passes. His kickouts created scrambles, which left space for him to step into and feast on all the offensive boards. With every starter besides Brunson struggling from the field, Hartenstein’s rebounding has never felt more pronounced or important to team success. Even when the Pacers got a body on Hartenstein, that only meant room for Precious to get the board instead.
I’ve described the Knicks as being down three starters in recent recaps. But it feels unfair to continue treating Hartenstein like a backup. He’s arguably been even better than Mitchell Robinson as a starter, with both players having tremendous impact. This is another example of how huge I-Hart is; he gets a 4 out of 5.
The Knicks’ second unit gets a boost from McBride
Miles McBride: 16 PTS (6/13 FG, 3/8 3PT, 1/1 FT), 1 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 29 mins
Deuce McBride continued his impressive run since joining the rotation. He fell to the background in the first half, with Malachi Flynn running the offense and handling most of the attacking. But McBride entered the third quarter with a three, then finished on consecutive drives to the basket.
McBride kept it up with an additional three in the fourth quarter. He became the Knicks’ best scoring option for that brief period between the end of the third and the first minutes of the fourth. He topped it off with his usual harassing defense, leaving Indiana guards struggling to breathe.
Deuce has been up and down with the second unit, but his shooting has been consistent. He’s flashed a midrange pull-up and recently added some finishing in the paint this time. We’re seeing more paths to growth and success as he gets more reps and builds experience. McBride gets a 3.5 out of 5 for leading the bench scorers.
Malachi Flynn: 2 PTS (0/3 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 7 mins
Malachi Flynn gave New York good minutes and showed he can handle an offense, but he needs to finish his looks to complete the package. Flynn got to his spots on the floor and moved the ball when players were free. But he failed to convert open looks, which hurt his gravity and took away from his impact.
McBride’s hot hand meant that Flynn didn’t appear in the second half. Flynn’s defensive limitations might inhibit his ability to stick in the rotation, but he can contribute when needed.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 4 REB, 3 BLK in 13 mins
The fact that Jericho Sims added 3 blocks in 13 minutes should tell you enough about his performance. Sims looks increasingly more comfortable in New York’s defense as he plays more. The big man moved around well, helping and hedging effectively without losing his man.
Sims set nice screens as well. Malachi Flynn was freed up to attack thanks to Sims ensuring contact with the defender. But Flynn and Sims didn’t make connections on the pick and roll, so chemistry is yet to manifest. For now, Sims gets a 2 out of 5, which is good for 13 minutes of action.
Tom Thibodeau is the big man whisperer
Tom Thibodeau did plenty to keep this game within reach. The Knicks spent the first half on the ropes, and a few mishaps could have turned this into a demoralizing blowout. But Thibs used his timeouts wisely and won another challenge in the second half.
Beyond his in-game work, Thibodeau’s success with big men was on full display. Precious Achiuwa has made huge strides in his short time with the Knicks, and Jericho Sims looks like he could provide more than the 13 minutes he got. Thibodeau brings out the best in big men.
Closing Thoughts:
That’s nine in a row, for anyone keeping track. Cleveland’s winning streak is the next longest in the NBA, with four wins. This is the part of the season when players miss games with injuries, and teams lose games off fatigue as much as anything else. A long streak is hard to come by with those challenges. The Knicks have their own injuries, and fatigue happens to everyone. They’re winning anyway.
We’re witnessing a team that embodies New York like none other since the 90’s. They always work hard and never take nights off. There’s a selflessness about the players, where everyone celebrates the next man’s success, and nobody plays greedily. Teams like this made me fall in love with basketball and turned me into a lifetime Knicks fan.
Now, older Knicks fans can point to a team and say, “THAT’S what Knicks basketball is supposed to look like.” That orange and blue jersey defines NYC grit, loyalty, and pride.
The Lakers are next, and they will either be missing Lebron James and Anthony Davis or have those guys on extra rest. It won’t be easy, regardless, as they just beat the Boston Celtics. Let’s see if this run can continue, and we’ll meet back here to discuss it. See you next time, Knicks fam!
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