Advertisement

New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers tangle in Indy

New York Knicks Lance Thomas and Langston Galloway celebrate a Knicks basket in the 4th quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 23, 2015. The Knicks defeated the Magic 113-106. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
New York Knicks Lance Thomas and Langston Galloway celebrate a Knicks basket in the 4th quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 23, 2015. The Knicks defeated the Magic 113-106. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

The New York Knicks hope to maintain their decent play of late when they pay a visit to the Indiana Pacers Thursday night.

The Knicks have won four of the past five games following a franchise-worst 16-game losing streak, and recorded a 100-92 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

Advertisement

Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points on 12-of-28 shooting and also pulled down 10 rebounds. Langston Galloway and Lance Thomas scored 18 and 17 points, respectively, for New York.

"Execution. I think that's what it came down to," Anthony said. "Defensively, we have been locking in."

Anthony (rest/knee) is questionable Thursday and did not play in Saturday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

New York has held five of its last six opponents under 100 points and took advantage of a Kevin Durant-less Thunder squad. Durant is nursing a toe injury and Russell Westbrook supplied 40 points in defeat.

Advertisement

Jason Smith posted an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Knicks, while Lou Amundson finished with 10 boards and four blocks in the win. Jose Calderon returned for New York after missing Saturday's game with a bruised knee, recording eight assists in 27 minutes.

The Knicks are only 3-20 on the road and will play two straight classic matchups next at home versus the Lakers and Celtics.

Indiana opened a five-game homestand with Tuesday's 104-91 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Rodney Stuckey recorded a team-best 22 points and Solomon Hill added 15 for the Pacers, who have lost eight of the last nine games and fell to 8-12 as the host.

Toronto scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and DeMar DeRozan finished with a game-high 24 points.

"You have to credit (Toronto's) offensive abilities," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said.

The Pacers scored only 16 points in the second quarter and made only 41.5 percent of their shots. George Hill posted 13 points off the bench in defeat, while Hill has scored in double figures a team-best 28 times.

Roy Hibbert had 11 points and nine boards in the loss, and has averaged 11.3 points and 7.5 rebounds this month.

Advertisement

Indiana is scheduled to host Sacramento, Detroit and Cleveland on this homestand, and is winless in three straight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Pacers and Knicks will meet for the first of four games this season and are slated to tangle March 4, 7 and April 8. Indiana went 2-1 against New York in 2013-14.

Including the playoffs, the Knicks are winless in seven straight trips to Indianapolis.

[SportsNetwork.com]

Latest Headlines