Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a dominant performance with 40 points and 12 rebounds, while Josh Hart added 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to a 128-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night. The win marked the Knicks' first triumph in Indianapolis since April 2023, as they avenged last season’s road struggles against the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Towns was nearly unstoppable in the first half, scoring 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting to help New York take a 68-60 halftime lead. Hart then took over in the second half, finishing an efficient 12-of-16 from the field to power the Knicks’ offense. Despite Jalen Brunson’s foul trouble and the absence of injured forward OG Anunoby, the Knicks found their rhythm behind their two stars.
New York used a 10-0 second-quarter run to swing the momentum and pulled away for good in the fourth quarter with a 7-0 surge, stretching the lead to double digits. The Knicks also dominated the boards, holding a 48-36 rebounding edge and converting it into a 19-6 advantage in second-chance points.
Indiana, playing without Myles Turner, struggled to contain Towns and Hart while shooting poorly from beyond the arc. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 24 points, while Thomas Bryant and Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points apiece.
Despite cutting the deficit to four late in the third quarter, the Pacers couldn’t keep up as the Knicks closed strong to secure the win. The Knicks will be buzzing with this win and we have a grade for each player who made the court for the white and orange.
Karl-Anthony Towns: A+
Stats: 40 PTS, 12 REB (4 OREB, 8 DREB), 5 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 5 PF, 14-23 FG, 3-8 3PT, 9-9 FT, +14, 38 MIN
Towns was absolutely sensational, leading the Knicks with a dominant 40-point, 12-rebound performance. His 14-of-23 shooting from the field included three three-pointers, while his perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line showcased his efficiency. Towns also contributed five assists and three steals, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He was particularly unstoppable in the first half, allowing the Knicks to take control early.
Josh Hart: A+
Stats: 30 PTS, 10 REB (2 OREB, 8 DREB), 5 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 4 PF, 12-16 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-7 FT, +15, 40 MIN
Hart stepped up in the second half, pouring in 30 points and pulling down 10 rebounds to complement Towns' stellar performance. His 12-for-16 shooting, including one three-pointer, was nearly flawless. Hart’s ability to contribute efficiently in scoring, rebounding, and playmaking (five assists) made him indispensable throughout the game. He also played a crucial role in the Knicks’ defensive efforts, helping to seal the win with his all-around impact.
Miles McBride: B
Stats: 15 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 4-7 FG, 4-4 3PT, 3-3 FT, +25, 25 MIN
McBride had a solid outing, contributing 15 points on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting from the field, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. He also added three rebounds, showcasing his ability to contribute in multiple areas. While his defense and playmaking weren’t as pronounced, McBride’s ability to score efficiently off the bench provided a much-needed spark. His +25 plus/minus highlighted his effectiveness during his time on the floor, making a positive impact when it mattered.
Landry Shamet: B-
Stats: 11 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 5-9 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, +9, 19 MIN
Shamet provided some valuable minutes off the bench, finishing with 11 points and four assists. His shooting was a bit streaky, as he went 5-of-9 from the field but only 1-of-4 from three-point range. Despite the shooting inconsistencies, Shamet helped facilitate the offense and he played within the flow of the game.
Cameron Payne: B-
Stats: 9 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 8 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 2 PF, 4-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, +9, 24 MIN
Payne showed good playmaking ability with eight assists to go along with nine points in 24 minutes. His shooting was a bit off, as he was only 1-for-4 from three-point range, but he was aggressive driving to the basket and contributed to the Knicks' ball movement. Payne’s +9 plus/minus highlighted that he had a positive influence when he was on the floor, though he still needs to work on his scoring consistency.
Precious Achiuwa: C+
Stats: 9 PTS, 12 REB (5 OREB, 7 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 3-8 FG, 0-1 3PT, 3-4 FT, -2, 33 MIN
Achiuwa had an up-and-down performance, finishing with nine points and a team-high 12 rebounds. While his rebounding effort was impressive, his shooting was inefficient (3-for-8 from the field), and he struggled from beyond the arc (0-for-1). He also committed a turnover and didn’t provide much scoring punch, but his effort on the glass was crucial in helping the Knicks dominate the boards.
Jalen Brunson: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 7 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 5 PF, 4-11 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, +10, 23 MIN
Brunson’s night was hindered by foul trouble, limiting him to just 23 minutes. Despite this, he contributed eight points and seven assists, showing his playmaking ability. However, his shooting was inefficient, hitting only 4-of-11 shots from the field, and he didn’t make an impact from beyond the arc (0-for-1 3PT). While his +10 plus/minus indicates he was still valuable when on the court, Brunson’s performance was quieter than usual.
Mikal Bridges: C
Stats: 6 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 3-7 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, +4, 29 MIN
Bridges had a quieter night offensively, scoring just six points on 3-of-7 shooting. He did contribute in other areas with five rebounds and five assists, but his scoring was limited. His perimeter shooting (0-for-1 from three) and lack of standout defensive plays made his overall impact somewhat muted.
Ariel Hukporti: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB (1 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -7, 6 MIN
Hukporti had limited impact in his six minutes on the floor, failing to score while contributing two rebounds. His time on the court was mostly uneventful, and his -7 plus/minus indicated that he struggled to make an impact during his short stint.
Matt Ryan: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 2 MIN
Ryan had only two minutes of play, missing his only field goal attempt. His limited time on the court didn’t allow for much of an impact, and his -6 plus/minus suggested that the team wasn’t in a favorable position while he was on the floor.
Tyler Kolek: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 2 MIN
Kolek also played limited minutes, contributing nothing statistically during his brief time on the floor. His +6 minus was in line with the other limited-minute players, but his presence wasn’t felt during the game.
