The Indiana Pacers held off the defending NBA Cup champion New York Knicks 106-104 on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Kelly Oubre Jr. gave a lot of the credit to the building, as first reported by ClutchPoints.
“It was gnarly, man. It was loud, it was proud,” Oubre said after the game, adding that it was probably the loudest the arena has been since he arrived.
It came down to the final second. The Knicks erased most of Indiana’s lead late, but Karl-Anthony Towns missed a potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer.
How Indiana Got It Done
All five Pacers starters scored in double figures. Pascal Siakam led the way with 19, Aaron Nesmith had 18, Oubre added 16, Ivica Zubac posted 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Nembhard chipped in 12 points and six assists. They did it without Tyrese Haliburton, who remains unavailable.
T.J. McConnell also showed love to the fans, calling them “the best in the league.” The win moved Indiana to 5-8 overall and 1-1 in NBA Cup East Group B play.
The IAHHM Take
Any time it’s Knicks vs. Pacers, the ’90s come back to life. This is the rivalry that gave us Reggie Miller vs. the Garden, and Oubre admitted he understands what it means to this team. A 5-8 squad beating the champs without its best player is the kind of win that can flip a season’s mood.
For New York, this one stings. Dropping a Cup game in group play puts real pressure on its title defense, and the Knicks don’t have much room for another slip.
The East is wide open right now, and nights like this are why the NBA Cup works: real rivalry energy in November. Want more of this week’s wild NBA action? Check out Cade Cunningham’s historic 52-point night. Can Indiana keep this up until Haliburton is back?
Source: ClutchPoints
