Pacers continue grueling stretch with visit to Knicks (Dec 20, 2016)
NEW YORK -- Relying on a last-second shot to get a win on the first night of a back-to-back is not necessarily the preference for the Indiana Pacers.
It still beats the alternative and now the Pacers will try to complete the back-to-back sweep Tuesday night when they visit the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Indiana (15-14) is playing its 10th game in the last 15 days. The Pacers have won five of those games and four of their last six overall.
On Monday, Indiana needed Thaddeus Young's short jumper with 0.9 of a second remaining to get a 107-105 victory over the Washington Wizards. Young's dramatic game-winner occurred after the Pacers held an eight-point lead with 4:05 remaining.
"We would have liked to come out and played a lot better, especially knowing we have a back-to-back on the road against a tough New York team," Indiana forward Paul George said. "We would have like to take care of business, freshen our legs, but we got the win."
George scored 27 points Monday and has reached 20 points in eight of his last 10 games while emerging into more of a leadership role.
"It's been different for me," he told NBA.com. "I've been used to having (more established teammates). They always had a level of play they've always been at, so it was easy to feed off them.
"Now guys are feeding off me. I have to be the first one to step forth on that."
George is averaging 21.8 points, slightly below last season's career-best 23.8 average.
The Pacers are 1-5 on the second night of back-to-backs and face a team they have won seven straight against.
New York (14-13) returns home following a disappointing 2-3 Western Conference road trip. The trip began with wins over the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles but ended with a 127-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Carmelo Anthony returned from resting his shoulder Thursday and scored 29 points while Brandon Jennings added 14 in place of Derrick Rose. Jennings has scored 53 points in four starts for Rose, who is expected to return from back spasms.
Rose scored 25 points on 12-of-16 shooting in New York's win over the Lakers and exited after playing 10 minutes last Tuesday in Phoenix.
"That's the plan," Rose told reporters after Monday's practice. "I just want to put all these injuries behind me and get on with the season.
"I think it's just a one-shot thing. Before I fell I wasn't worried about it. Things like this are going to happen. It comes with the season -- bumps and falls. I just got to find a way around it. I can't let it get to me mentally."
Rose has been a catalyst for the Knicks with his ability to burst through the lane and facilitate. His absence has been clearly felt. The Knicks have lost three straight and have gone 1-3 in games Rose has missed.
Rose is averaging 16.4 points on 45.6 percent shooting, four rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. It is his highest shooting percentage since he shot 48.9 percent in 78 games for the Chicago Bulls in 2009-10.
Indiana's last loss to New York was March 19, 2014. In the only meeting in New York last season on April 3, George scored 20 points in a 92-87 victory and averaged 22 points against the Knicks last season.
Anthony is averaging 25 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30 games against the Pacers. He shot 5 of 20 in the first meeting and did not play in the other two meetings last season.
