INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana Pacers took it right to the short-handed New York Knicks and came away with an easy victory.
Thaddeus Young scored 20 points to lead seven Indiana players in double figures as the Pacers routed the Knicks 115-97 on Monday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 19 points and Victor Oladipo added 16 for the Pacers (13-11), who led by 26 at half and 95-65 after three quarters.
“It’s about ourselves,” said Pacers point guard Darren Collison, who had 10 points and 10 assists. “I’m glad we didn’t have a letdown.”
The Knicks (11-12) were without leading scorers Kristaps Porzingis (25.8 ppg) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (17.8 ppg) for a second consecutive loss. Porzingis is dealing with a sprained right ankle and illness and Hardaway has a lower left leg injury.
“At the end of the day it didn’t matter who was out there,” Oladipo said. “We just know we had to come ready to play.”
The Pacers had a season-high 31 fast-break points, 26 more than the Knicks.
“For the most part we did a good job of moving the ball and ended up with 28 assists,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “Everyone gets involved that way, with guys open.”
Reserve Willy Hernangomez led the Knicks with 14 points.
“(The Pacers) had more energy,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “They got steals, we had some careless turnovers. I think they had 30 points with four minutes to go in the first quarter already. Indiana was just better.”
TIP-INS
Knicks: Dropped to 8-27 lifetime at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. … F Courtney Lee was a prep star at Indianapolis Pike High School and got his first job in a coffee shop. … Knicks great Bernard King was born on this date in 1956.
Pacers: Started a stretch of six consecutive home games through Dec. 15. They’re 7-4 at home. … Hit 11 of 26 3-point shots. Entered second in the NBA in 3-point percentage (.397). … Are 5-0 when scoring 120 points and 0-4 when scoring less than 100.
SWAT STREAK
Pacers center Myles Turner blocked a shot in the first quarter to extend his streak of at least one block in every game this season. The third-year pro, whose 39 blocks rank second in the league, has had as many as three blocks in nine games.
DOWN, BUT NOT OUT
The Knicks have rallied from double-digit deficits to win six games this season. That includes being down 19 at home in the third quarter of a 108-101 victory over the Pacers on Nov. 5. A 108-100 home win over Toronto on Nov. 22 turned on a 28-0 run in the third quarter, the longest run in the team’s recorded history since 1991-92.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Wednesday they host Memphis, which has won eight of 10 against New York.
Pacers: Wednesday they host Chicago, which lost at home to Indiana 105-87 on Nov. 10.
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