Knicks hold Tyrese Haliburton scoreless in blowout win over Pacers

Rick Carlisle knew the situation that awaited his Indiana Pacers astatine Madison Square Garden — a new-look Knicks squad and a fired-up assemblage bare for revenge.

Carlisle knew the aforesaid fans his Pacers eliminated successful Game 7 of past season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals hadn’t forgotten the sting of being 1 crippled shy of a Conference Finals appearance. He knew that this new-and-improved Knicks squad wouldn’t beryllium the aforesaid depleted squad his heavy Pacers ran disconnected the Madison Square Garden level past year.

And helium knew each excessively good the energy that pulses done the World’s Most Famous Arena. Ahead of Friday’s tipoff against the Knicks, Carlisle spoke candidly astir the situation his Pacers faced successful their 2nd crippled of the regular season.

“There’s surely thing casual astir it. It’s gonna beryllium hard,” the manager said connected Friday. “They’re a apical team. They’re projected to beryllium mode up there. Regardless of what happened successful Boston the different night, they’re coming home, [and] we’re coming disconnected of past year’s playoffs. On your 3rd time of the regular season, this volition beryllium the closest happening to a Game 7 ambiance and feel. So it’s a privilege to person the accidental to vie successful that situation and this venue, and we’ve gotta clasp that and support knowing however hard it’s gonna be.”

Even with each his preparation, Carlisle’s Pacers couldn’t foretell what was to come. Out went Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. In came Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges — two players who’ve reshaped the precise individuality of the Knicks connected some ends of the floor.

For the Knicks, everything looks antithetic erstwhile they’re not up against the reigning champion Boston Celtics.

After the Celtics clinically dismantled the Knicks successful the play opener, the Knicks paid it guardant with a ascendant 123-98 blowout triumph implicit the Pacers successful their location opener astatine Madison Square Garden.

And it each started with Tyrese Haliburton — the Pacers’ All-Star constituent defender and a subordinate escaped agents reportedly privation to articulation successful Indiana. But against the squad his Pacers eliminated successful past season’s Conference Semifinals, connected the aforesaid court, successful beforehand of the aforesaid fans, Haliburton had thing to give.

Zero points.

Fewer points than his 2 All-Star appearances and 1 playoff appearance.

Haliburton dished retired 5 assists but missed each 8 of his tract extremity attempts, including 7 from beyond the arc. Several of those were uncontested looks that fell short.

As Haliburton struggled to find his footing, Bridges stepped up to bargain the show. Maybe, for conscionable a day, Bridges stole Haliburton’s superpowers.

The Knicks’ recently acquired 3rd prima — who outgo New York 5 first-round picks successful a woody with the Brooklyn Nets — struggled to deed a 3 successful the preseason oregon successful the archetypal fractional against Boston. But connected Friday, Bridges was unstoppable, shooting 8-of-12 from the tract and two-of-three from downtown, finishing with 21 points and 5 assists connected the night.

Bridges said helium recovered his bushed successful the 2nd fractional against the Celtics, wherever helium changeable seven-of-eight from the tract and two-of-three from beyond the arc. Since that halftime successful Boston, Bridges has been astir automatic, shooting 15-of-20 from the tract and four-of-six from three-point scope — a invited show for a Knicks squad whose heavy playoff hopes hinge connected their 3rd prima playing astatine an elite level.

Towns added 21 points and 15 rebounds, portion Jalen Brunson contributed 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists connected 10-of-19 shooting from the field. All 5 Knicks starters scored successful treble figures, including Josh Hart, who double-doubled against the Pacers with 20 points and 10 rebounds — scoring much points connected Friday than helium posted successful each 4 preseason games and Tuesday’s opener successful Boston combined (14).

Here’s thing the Knicks did overmuch amended astatine location against the Pacers than they did successful Boston: defend the three-point line.

After giving up an NBA grounds 29 made threes connected 61 attempts during ringing nighttime successful Boston, the Knicks clamped down, holding the Pacers to conscionable 3-of-30 shooting from downtown connected Friday,

And conscionable 3 days aft making 11 threes connected 30 attempts against the Celtics, the Knicks changeable 12-of-27 from heavy connected their ain location floor. It’s not rather the measurement Tom Thibodeau would similar to spot from a squad filled with perimeter shooters, but arsenic helium explained pregame, it’s little astir the quantity and much astir the prime of the shots.

“We request casual baskets. I don’t privation it to beryllium similar you’re compelled: ‘Oh we person to instrumentality 50 threes,’” Thibodeau said. “No, we person to instrumentality the close shots. We privation arsenic galore layups arsenic we tin get, arsenic galore escaped throws arsenic we tin get, and arsenic galore threes arsenic we tin get. Everyone shares and is creating those shots. That’s what we person to do.”

The Knicks bounced backmost from Tuesday’s nonaccomplishment successful Boston with a commanding dismantling of the Pacers connected Friday. Next up, they big Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers — the 3rd consecutive playoff contender connected the docket to footwear disconnected a Knicks play filled with title aspirations.