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INDIANAPOLIS — Karl-Anthony Towns got the shot the New York Knicks drew up. His 16-foot turnaround fadeaway missed with 0.9 seconds left, and the Indiana Pacers held on for a 106-104 win Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana won back-to-back games for the first time this season and improved to 5-8 and 1-1 in East Group B of the NBA Cup. The defending champions fell to 0-2 in the group and 6-6 overall, and no team has reached the Cup’s knockout round with fewer than three group wins.
New York got the last possession when OG Anunoby tracked down Pascal Siakam’s inbounds pass with 2.8 seconds left. Needing a 2-pointer to tie, Knicks coach Mike Brown went to a rip screen for Towns.
“Probably a shot that he makes nine out of 10 times. So I’m okay with it,” Brown said.
Towns had started New York’s late push with a turnaround hook at the 1:04 mark. The fadeaway finished a 2-of-6 fourth quarter for him and left him 9-of-19 for the night, with 23 points and 15 rebounds.
“I thought it was a great shot,” Towns said.
How Indiana Nearly Let It Slip
Indiana had built its lead with a 15-2 run after the Knicks tied it 87-87 early in the fourth quarter. Andrew Nembhard scored six points in the run, and Aaron Nesmith’s driving dunk off a T.J. McConnell pass made it 102-89 with 6:36 left.
The Pacers scored four points the rest of the way and none after Siakam’s 16-foot pull-up made it 106-98 with 1:49 left. Nembhard was called for an offensive kicked-ball violation before Towns’ hook, and after an Indiana eight-second violation with 31.3 seconds left, Jalen Brunson’s layup cut it to 106-102.
Siakam missed two free throws with 23.4 seconds left, and Mikal Bridges hit a 20-foot pull-up from Brunson to make it 106-104 with 10.2 seconds to go. Brunson finished with 33 points and 11 assists.
Pascal Siakam Leads Indiana
Siakam scored 19 points, and Nesmith, who was questionable with right knee soreness, scored 18 on 7-of-10 shooting. Ivica Zubac had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Indiana finished with 17 offensive rebounds to New York’s 8 and went 18-of-25 at the free-throw line to the Knicks’ 10-of-13.
The Pacers led by 14 in the first half and again in the third quarter while playing without Tyrese Haliburton (left hamstring strain). Pacers coach Rick Carlisle gave the Knicks their due for coming back anyway.
“New York is a championship team. They know how to make comebacks,” Carlisle said. “Our guys stuck together and kept fighting together.”
Nesmith left in the final seconds with an apparent hand injury, and Carlisle did not have an update afterward, the Indianapolis Star reported. Kelly Oubre Jr., who scored 16, replaced him with 2.8 seconds left.
New York’s last two group games are at home against Cleveland and Miami, and Indiana still plays at Cleveland. The Pacers visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at noon CT, and the Knicks play at the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT.
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