Rivers helps Knicks rally late to get past Pacers 106-102
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Austin Rivers made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:23 left and finished with 15 points to help the New York Knicks rally past the Indiana Pacers 106-102 on Saturday night.
The Knicks have won three of four to pull to .500 after six games under new coach Tom Thibodeau. R.J. Barrett scored a team-best 25 points.
Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers with a career-high 33 points but had his shot blocked with less than a minute to go, which led to another basket by Rivers during an 11-0 run that helped seal the win. Indiana has lost two of three.
It certainly had the sluggish feel of a post-holiday game.
The Pacers struggled all night and New York couldn't put it away until the closing minutes. But the Knicks did just enough in the second half after trailing 51-50 at halftime.
The Knicks opened the second half on a 16-5 scoring flurry to retake the lead and extend it to 66-56 with 7:35 left in the third quarter.
Indiana answered with eight straight points to make it 75-73 with 2:31 left in the period and when Justin Holiday made a 3 to end the quarter, the score was tied at 82.
Julius Randle broke the tie with a 3 to open the fourth, and the Knicks quickly pulled out to a 92-87 lead only to watch the Pacers charge back into a 96-93 lead, courtesy of Victor Oladipo's 3 with 6:35 left.
Mitchell Robinson's basket started the 11-0 spurt that included Rivers' go-ahead shot and his crucial basket following the block with 35.3 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Barrett apparently likes playing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where he shot 4 of 5 on 3s in this one and is 7 of 8 from long range on the Pacers' home court. He is 0 for 21 on 3s in every other venue. ... Randle had his second straight double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. ... Robinson had 16 points and nine rebounds. ... New York had a 51-32 rebounding edge and only allowed five offensive rebounds.
Pacers: Brogdon was 6 for 6 from the field in the first quarter. The rest of his teammates made just four first-period baskets. He finished 7 of 10 on 3s. ... Domantas Sabonis had his sixth straight double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. ... Myles Turner had 17 points and one block. ... Indiana was 19 of 50 on 3s.
HOLIDAY START
Pacers guard Aaron Holiday made his third start of the season and his second straight in place of injured forward T.J. Warren. Holiday didn't score, had two rebounds and one assist, but could see significant playing time with Warren out indefinitely. Indiana announced Thursday night that Warren, the team's top scorer last season, would have surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Complete a four-game road trip Monday at Atlanta.
Pacers: Play their second road game of the season Monday at New Orleans.
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