Knicks at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers clinched a spot in the postseason in emphatic fashion on Sunday and can now turn their attention to locking up the best possible seed. The Pacers will try to get the upper hand on the Detroit Pistons in the race for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference when they host the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Indiana entered Sunday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets with a magic number of one and dominated en route to a 129-105 victory. The Pacers did not have to push a starter for more than 22 minutes in the win and pulled into a tie with the Pistons for the No. 7 spot behind 28 points and 10 rebounds off the bench from rookie Myles Turner. “The first and second unit came out and played with great energy (Sunday),” Indiana coach Frank Vogel told reporters. “All year we felt we had a team that could do damage in the playoffs. It was about getting it done to get there.” The Knicks are playing the finale of another down season but are still going for wins and pushed the second-place Toronto Raptors to the brink in a 93-89 loss on Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE KNICKS (32-49): New York star Carmelo Anthony has repeatedly stressed his desire to remain with the team when questioned and brushed off a suggestion after Sunday’s contest that he may have played his final home game for the team. “I don’t think about that. Not right now,” Anthony told reporters. “I can’t think about that. My mindset is figuring out how we’re going to better this situation and grow as a team, grow as an organization.” Part of the growth of the team involves continued progress from rookie Kristaps Porzingis, who sat out the last six games with a shoulder injury and is unlikely to play on Tuesday.
ABOUT THE PACERS (43-37): Indiana will either play Cleveland or Toronto in the first round and went 1-3 in the regular season against each of those teams. The Pacers, who missed the playoffs last season, are just happy to be back for now and will finish out the regular season with a back-to-back against the Knicks and at Milwaukee. “It feels good, it feels good,” All-Star forward Paul George told reporters. “We’re very proud about that, making it to the playoffs once more, especially with this group. I think it will be great to get Myles (Turner) some playoff experience. And really for all of us. This is a young group.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers F Solomon Hill is averaging 14.7 points in the last three games and needs nine points to reach 1,000 for his career.
2. Knicks rookie PG Jerian Grant scored in double figures in three straight and four of the last five contests.
3. Indiana took each of the previous two meetings this season by a total of eight points.