New York Knicks (46-25) beat Indiana Pacers (15-54) 136-110 at home on Tuesday, March 17. The final margin was 26 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Knicks struck first, taking the opening quarter 38-34 and a 4-point lead after one. The Knicks kept the pressure on with a 34-30 second quarter, carrying a 8-point lead into halftime.
The Knicks won the third 33-27 to create some separation, taking a 14-point lead into the fourth. The Knicks took the fourth 31-19; the Knicks finished the job for a 136-110 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Knicks grabbed 40.4% of their own misses, while the Pacers recovered 21.1%. The Knicks took better care of the ball, turning it over on 9.4% of possessions compared with 17.5% for the Pacers. The second chances kept adding up.
At roughly 96 possessions per team, the Knicks produced 141.1 points per 100 possessions to 114.1 for the Pacers.
The Pacers' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 50-29.
Who stood out
Josh Hart was the game's biggest individual force for NYK: 33 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast on 12-13 shooting. His Game Score of 33.9 led everyone. His team was +18 with him on the floor.
Karl-Anthony Towns (22 pts, 11 reb, 2 ast), Jose Alvarado (16 pts, 2 reb, 10 ast), and T.J. McConnell (10 pts, 3 reb, 10 ast) each recorded a double-double.
What it means
The result fit the pre-game Win Meter, which gave the Knicks about a 94% chance.
Across the last 12 meetings in our records, the series is even.
The Knicks are now 46-25, and the Pacers are 15-54. The Knicks last five before this game: L-L-W-W-W.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.