Knicks pull out win over Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS -- Carmelo Anthony hit a baseline jumper with 23.4 seconds remaining, and Courtney Lee sank four consecutive free throws during the final 15.1 seconds, leading the New York Knicks to a 109-103 victory against the struggling Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
Anthony led the Knicks (20-26) with 26 points, Derrick Rose had 20 points and six assists, Indianapolis native Lee added 14, Willy Hernangomez scored 14 and Justin Holiday had 13.
Paul George led Indiana (22-22) with 31 points and seven rebounds, Myles Turner had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson added 13 off the bench.
George made two free throws with 42 seconds left to tie it at 103, but New York scored the game's final six points to snap a two-game losing streak and win at Indiana for the first time since March 17, 2012. Indiana has lost three in a row.
An Anthony basket in the closing seconds gave New York an 86-75 lead with 12 minutes remaining. Anthony had 21 through 36 minutes, and Rose had 18.
Three free throws from Lee capped a 10-0 Knicks run and gave New York a 75-60 lead with 8:09 remaining in the third quarter. Layups by Rose and Joakim Noah and a Kristaps Porzingas 3-pointer contributed to the 10-0 burst.
With Holiday and Hernangomez each scoring 10 points, New York made 13 of 20 second-quarter field goal attempts and outscored the Pacers 40-24 to lead 62-58 through 24 minutes.
Indiana got 13 first-quarter points from George to lead 34-22 through one period. Anthony had 12 in the opening quarter and 17 for the half. George finished the half with 19.
New York shot 52.6 percent in the first half (20 of 38) while Indiana shot 44.9 percent (22 of 49). The Knicks outrebounded the Pacers 24-17 during the first 24 minutes.
NOTES: The Knicks were without F Lance Thomas (fractured left orbit). ... The Pacers were without G Rodney Stuckey (sore left hamstring). ... Indiana made a starting lineup change, inserting G C.J. Miles in place of Glenn Robinson III. ... The Knicks and the Pacers each came in having lost two in a row. ... Indiana F Paul George leads the NBA in free throw percentage (92.9). ... New York ranks third in rebounding (45.9) and four in blocks per game (5.7). ... The Pacers are second in free throw percentage (81.5) and third in steals (8.7). ... Beginning with the 2012-2013 season, Indiana has won 12 of the 15 most recent meetings with the Knicks. ... New York has not won at Indiana since March 17, 2012. ... Indiana C Al Jefferson came in having made 24 of 38 field goal attempts in during the past four games and is averaging 14.3 points in those games.