NBA Game Summary - New York at Indiana
Indianapolis, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - Rodney Stuckey scored a game-high 22 points, Roy Hibbert recorded a double-double, and the Indiana Pacers cruised past the New York Knicks 103-82 on Thursday.
Hibbert totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who snapped their three-game home losing streak by dominating the second and third quarters.
Solomon Hill and David West each scored 10 points for an offense that connected on 53 percent of their shots and owned a 50-26 edge in the paint.
Not even a surprise start by Carmelo Anthony could keep the Knicks close. The All-Star forward was questionable on the second game of a back-to-back and finished with 18 points, but New York's defense did not duplicate its efforts over the past two weeks.
"We ran out of gas, to be honest," Anthony admitted. "It was one of those nights where we took a step backwards."
During a five-game stretch that saw them go 4-1, the Knicks allowed just 91.4 points per game -- more than 10 points fewer than their season average.
They reverted back to their sieve-like ways against the Pacers, who scored 67 points during the second and third quarters on 63 percent shooting.
The Knicks actually led by 11 early on, and Anthony's 12 first-quarter points carried them to a 29-22 lead at the end of the frame.
Indiana began its turnaround midway through the second with a 12-2 run that Hibbert capped with a putback dunk. The slam gave the hosts a 48-41 lead, and it was a 54-49 difference in the Pacers' favor at the break.
Hibbert scored on four of the first five possessions in the third quarter, then started a 10-0 run with a layup. C.J. Watson and Stuckey each hit from long range during the surge, which ended with the Pacers ahead 76-56.
Three more 3-pointers -- two from Hill -- fueled a 12-0 run that made it a 30- point game, and the Knicks were able to rest Anthony in the fourth with no chance at making a comeback.
"Every game is important for us from here on out. ... Our goal is to make the playoffs, and we're right there," said Stuckey, whose team is currently 12th in the Eastern Conference.