|
 "Carmelo will make his shots," Stephenson said. "We just wanted to
get a 'W.'"
Indiana (31-7) improved the league's best home record to 20-1.
Forward David West produced 12 points and center Roy Hibbert added
11 for the Pacers, who have won 11 of their last 13 games and put
six scorers in double figures.
Including playoff games, the Knicks (15-24) have dropped their last
seven visits to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Anthony led New York with
28 points and seven rebounds.
"After getting off to such a good start, other guys have to come in
and play," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "It was a total team
disaster."
Indiana committed a season-low six turnovers, augmenting a point of
emphasis entering the game. The Pacers went 10 of 23 on 3-pointers,
the fifth time this season they have made at least 10. Forward Danny
Granger, who made one of the 3s, finished 11 points and a
season-high four assists.
George scored 10 of the Pacers' first 15 points in the second half,
forcing Woodson to use a timeout after the lead ballooned to 78-56
with 7:20 left in the third quarter.
"A really complete basketball game," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said.
"It was a great defensive effort."
It looked like a shootout early on.
Anthony's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave New York a 31-30 after a
first quarter in which he scored 18 points, hitting a variety of
smooth jump shots. The Knicks led by eight early before Indiana's
offense picked up the pace in the latter half of the quarter.
The Pacers never let up, hitting 50 percent from the field and
setting a season high for points scored.
"We tried to push it and get easy baskets," Stephenson said. That carried over into the second quarter, when the Pacers
used an 11-1 run to lead 45-37. Stephenson made a layup and
3-pointer before assisting on West's layup, which gave Indiana a
commanding 63-48 advantage at intermission.
[to top of second column] |
After a disappointing 9-21 start, the Knicks entered having won
six of their last eight games despite drama swirling around
guard J.R. Smith. He reportedly clashed with coach Mike Woodson
on Monday over playing time and then sat out all of Tuesday's
loss in Charlotte.
Smith played 28 minutes against the Pacers and scored 12 points
off the bench.
Afterward, Smith said his benching stemmed from a combination of
factors. Asked if he understood why it happened, Smith replied,
"Yes and no."
During the game, the Knicks lost forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and
Kenyon Martin to ankle sprains that Woodson said would likely
keep each out of the lineup for multiple games.
While the Knicks slide backward, the Pacers just keep racking up
the victories.
"We're just focused," Granger said. "We didn't want to be
denied. We have a sense of urgency."
Indiana, easily on pace for more than 60 victories, hosts the
Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday before embarking on a five-game
road trip against the Western Conference.
NOTES: Knicks G Pablo Prigioni (hairline fracture of right toe)
missed his 15th straight game. New York also was without F Metta
World Peace (sore left knee). He spent parts of five seasons
with Indiana, taking part in 26 playoff games and earning one
All-Star selection. ... The Pacers defeated the Knicks in six
games in the second round of last season's playoffs, Indiana's
fourth victory in the last five playoff series between the
rivals. ... Indiana won 103-96 in overtime at Madison Square
Garden on Nov. 20. The final regular-season meeting is in New
York on March 19. ... New York coach Mike Woodson was born in
Indianapolis and attended Indiana, where he scored 2,062 points
in a four-year career and helped the Hoosiers to an NIT
championship in 1979 and a Big Ten title in 1980. He was a
two-time All-American.
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