Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated a masterful performance with 28 points and 12 assists as the Indiana Pacers pulled away from the New York Knicks 116-103 at Madison Square Garden, snapping a three-game losing streak and dealing another blow to the home team’s playoff positioning.
The 24-year-old point guard shot 10-of-16 from the field and connected on six three-pointers, repeatedly finding open teammates for easy baskets while attacking the rim when the Knicks tried to take away his passing lanes. His fourth double-double in the last six games came at the perfect time for a team desperately needing momentum.
Defense Shackles All-Star Brunson
Indiana’s defensive game plan centered on containing Jalen Brunson, who entered averaging 28.7 points but managed just 18 on 6-of-15 shooting. The visitors switched aggressively on pick-and-rolls and forced the All-Star into contested jumpers throughout the night.
“We knew Jalen was going to get his looks, but we wanted to make them tough,” said coach Rick Carlisle. “Our guys did a great job of communicating on switches and not letting him get comfortable.”
Myles Turner anchored the interior defense with 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. The veteran center altered several shots at the rim — the kind of rim protection that’s been inconsistent all season but showed up when it mattered most.
Fourth Quarter Avalanche
Trailing 81-78 entering the final quarter, Indiana opened the fourth with a 16-4 run over five devastating minutes. Haliburton scored eight points during the decisive stretch, including back-to-back threes that pushed the lead to double digits and silenced the Garden crowd.
Benedict Mathurin provided crucial energy off the bench with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting. The second-year guard repeatedly attacked the basket against New York’s reserves and knocked down three of his five three-point attempts with the confidence of a veteran.
“Benedict gave us exactly what we needed tonight,” Haliburton said. “When he’s aggressive like that, it opens up everything for our offense.”
Knicks’ Cold Shooting Dooms Playoff Push
New York shot just 41.3% from the field and connected on only 9-of-33 three-point attempts — a brutal performance for a team that can’t afford many more slip-ups. Julius Randle led the home team with 25 points and 11 rebounds but struggled from beyond the arc, going 1-of-7 on threes.
The loss dropped the Knicks to 32-27, currently sixth in the Eastern Conference. With just 23 games remaining, they find themselves in a precarious position trying to secure home-court advantage in the first round.
RJ Barrett added 19 points but shot just 7-of-18 from the field. New York’s bench contributed only 24 points compared to Indiana’s 39, highlighting the depth issues that have plagued Tom Thibodeau’s rotation all season. When your starters struggle, you need production from the second unit — and it simply wasn’t there.
Play-In Dreams Still Alive
The victory improved Indiana to 29-30, keeping their play-in tournament hopes breathing as they sit just 2.5 games behind Chicago for the 10th seed. They’ve won four of their last seven after a dismal January that nearly buried their season.
Indiana shot 48.9% from the field and assisted on 28 of their 45 made baskets, showcasing the ball movement that defines their ceiling. They outrebounded New York 51-42, with Turner and rookie Jarace Walker combining for 18 boards in a physical contest.
“We’re starting to play the way we know we can,” Turner said. “When Tyrese is facilitating like that and our defense is locked in, we can beat anybody.”
The statement felt bold but not unreasonable after watching Haliburton conduct this symphony. If he can maintain this level through the stretch run, the Pacers might just crash the postseason party after all.
