Two teams desperate to rebound after tough losses square off as the Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks in Indianapolis on Tuesday night. Both squads have had two days to regroup and reset after Saturday’s setbacks, making this an intriguing matchup with playoff implications.
The Knicks got embarrassed at home, falling 131-104 to a red-hot Boston Celtics team that dominated them from start to finish. Boston shot lights out—54.1% from the field and a deadly 48.7% from three. Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t mince words after the loss, saying, “We’ve got a lot of work to do. There’s no sugarcoating it.”
Jalen Brunson was the lone bright spot for New York, dropping 36 points, but Towns was held to a season-low 9 points on 3-of-8 shooting. To make matters worse, the Knicks are still without forward OG Anunoby, who’s likely to miss his fourth straight game with a sprained foot. While New York has been solid overall, boasting the fifth-best record in the NBA, they’ve struggled mightily against elite competition—a trend bettors will want to watch.
On the other side, Indiana comes into this game after a 124-117 loss to the Lakers. The Pacers dug themselves into an early hole, trailing 44-22 after the first quarter, and couldn’t climb out. Slow starts have been an ongoing issue for this team, as they’ve trailed after the first quarter in four straight games. Head coach Rick Carlisle didn’t hold back, saying, “You cannot survive doing this. We’ve gotta be better at the beginning of games. We’ve gotta go harder and fight harder.”
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 23 points, but Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana’s floor general, struggled early and was held scoreless in the first quarter. Despite their poor starts, Haliburton remains confident, saying, “I felt like we were getting exactly the shots we wanted… they just haven’t been falling.”
The Pacers, currently fourth in the East, have been strong since mid-December, going 19-7, but they’ll need a better effort on Tuesday. They’re also monitoring the status of big man Myles Turner, who missed Saturday’s game with a cervical strain and is questionable for this matchup.
This game offers plenty of betting angles. Can the Knicks bounce back and prove they’re more than just a team that beats up on weaker opponents? Or will the Pacers finally come out of the gates strong and defend their home court? Look for the first-quarter line as a potential value spot, given Indiana’s recent struggles to start games.
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