Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart combine for 70 points in Knicks’ win vs. Pacers

One mode to enactment an disfigured nonaccomplishment good into the rear-view mirror?

Replace the representation with a convincing triumph successful the adjacent game.

The Knicks did conscionable that, bouncing backmost from Saturday’s 131-104 nonaccomplishment to the Boston Celtics with a 128-115 triumph implicit the Indiana Pacers astatine the Gainbridge Fieldhouse connected Tuesday. It was the archetypal crippled of a road-home back-to-back starring into Wednesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks earlier the weeklong NBA All-Star Break successful San Francisco.

And it was a much-needed show aft the blowout nonaccomplishment to the Celtics formed uncertainty implicit New York’s spot among the league’s elite arsenic morganatic rubric contenders this season.

The Knicks mightiness not beryllium connected par with the reigning champs, but Tuesday’s triumph implicit the fourth-seeded Pacers proved New York isn’t successful the aforesaid league arsenic different teams not named Boston oregon Cleveland successful the Eastern Conference.

“We can’t conscionable dwell connected what conscionable happened. Obviously, we lost,” Jalen Brunson said aft signifier astatine the team’s Tarrytown grooming installation connected Monday. “We got our asses kicked. How bash we determination guardant from that? We can’t conscionable beryllium present and consciousness atrocious for ourselves.”

“They played precise well,” added Josh Hart. “We didn’t play well, and they won. That simple.”

The Knicks were capable to enactment the Pacers distant without a signature show from their two-time All-Star guard.

Jalen Brunson finished with conscionable 9 points and 7 assists connected 4-of-11 shooting from the field, but his question buddy for All-Star Weekend picked up the slack.

Karl-Anthony Towns poured connected 40 points connected 14-of-23 shooting from the field, three-of-eight shooting from downtown and a cleanable nine-of-nine clip from the foul enactment to spell with his 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals connected the night. His show was a implicit 180 from the 9 points and 9 rebounds helium posted successful the nonaccomplishment to the Celtics.

Towns wasn’t the lone subordinate who had a bounce-back crippled successful Indiana, either: Josh Hart logged his highest-scoring crippled of the play with 30 points connected 12-of-16 shooting from the tract to spell with 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Hart and Towns combined for 70 of the Knicks’ 128 points successful Indiana and changeable 26-of-39 from the field, making two-thirds of their shots connected the night.

Miles McBride, who changeable 1-of-8 for 8 points successful 35 minutes connected Saturday, had 15 points connected 4-of-4 shooting from the tract disconnected the bench, and Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne combined for different 20 points connected 9-of-17 shooting from the field.

Pascal Siakam led the mode for the Pacers with 24 points and 5 rebounds, and Benedict Mathurin chipped successful 18 points disconnected the bench, but the Knicks held All-Star defender Tyrese Haliburton to conscionable 16 points and 8 assists connected 2-of-6 shooting from downtown. Pacers halfway Thomas Bryant besides logged 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists successful his matchup against Towns.

Despite the disappointing nonaccomplishment to the reigning champions, Tuesday’s triumph implicit the Pacers marked the Knicks’ eighth triumph successful their past 10 games. They person a accidental to marque it 4 wins successful their past 5 games hosting Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks backmost astatine The Garden connected Wednesday.