Pacers host Indy-challenged Knicks in a Hickory Night game
The Indiana Pacers were left lamenting a costly defeat in their quest for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs their last time out.
That advantage has been evident when they have faced the New York Knicks.
Indiana (30-26) fell short in its bid for a perfect three-game trip with Monday's 101-93 overtime loss at Miami. The Pacers blew an early 14-point lead and fell two games behind the Heat and Boston -- teams they are chasing for a top-four Eastern Conference finish.
"We control the game for so long and then it's always late in the game where it gets away from us," star forward Paul George said. "It's always been the story and really our history here."
The Pacers' recent history against New York (24-34) has been kinder. They enjoyed a four-game sweep last season that included two more wins in Indianapolis. Indiana's nine-game run at home in this series includes three victories in the 2013 conference semifinals.
Indiana faced Carmelo Anthony only once a season ago and is getting its first look at Kristaps Porzingis, who is third among rookies with 13.9 points per game.
Porzingis has been a bright spot during a stretch in which New York has dropped eight of nine and 12 of 14. The Knicks were blown out at home Monday by Toronto 122-95.
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"We just weren't connected defensively all night," interim coach Kurt Rambis said.
The Knicks allowed the Raptors to shoot 52.9 percent and spent a good portion of Tuesday's practice working on defense, with team president Phil Jackson observing. They have struggled to defend the 3-point arc in the last four games, allowing foes to make 40 of 80 attempts.
Prior to this dismal stretch, New York was in contention for a playoff spot and now seems likely to miss out for the third straight season. This is its fifth game since Rambis replaced Derek Fisher as coach.
"Regardless of the record, just losing, accepting that, it is hard to accept that," Anthony said. "You can't be satisfied with losing basketball games."
Porzingis is averaging 16.5 points on 46.4 percent shooting in his last six games. His worst effort in that span was a six-point performance in Saturday's 103-95 win over Minnesota that ended New York's seven-game road slide.
It won't be easy for New York to prevail in Wednesday's return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Its last win there was a 102-88 victory March 17, 2012, that came when Jeremy Lin was enjoying his flash-in-the-pan success for the Knicks.
George is averaging 25.3 points in his last seven games after scoring 31 with 11 rebounds against the Heat. The Pacers were hurt by Monta Ellis going 2 of 17 for seven points after he totaled 48 points in the first two games of the trip. Indiana dropped to 0-6 in road games on the second of back-to-back days.
"I thought late in the game we were a little fatigued," George said. "Guys were banged up. We tried; this is a game that we felt we should've won."
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