Julius Randle posted a double-double and hit all six of his free throws in the final minute, including the one that gave the surging New York Knicks the lead for good in a 109-106 win over the Indiana Pacers Sunday in Indianapolis.
Randle finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds while Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 30 points for the Knicks, who have won seven straight games, their longest winning streak since a nine-game run from Apr. 9-24, 2021. RJ Barrett had 24 points while Mitchell Robinson (10 points, 13 rebounds) also recorded a double-double.
Buddy Hield and Aaron Nesmith had 23 points apiece while Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin each scored 15 points for the Pacers, who have lost eight of 11. Each of their last five defeats have been by six points or fewer.
There were 13 ties and 16 lead changes in the first three quarters, each of which ended with one side nursing a one-point lead. There were three more ties in the first four-plus minutes of the fourth before the Pacers went on an 8-2 run to take a 99-93 lead with 5:19 left.
After a Knicks timeout, the teams combined to go 0 for 5 with a turnover plus a pair of missed free throws by Indiana’s Myles Turner before Robinson’s putback and a 3-pointer by Quentin Grimes pulled New York within 99-98.
Turner then missed two more free throws, but Nesmith and Grimes got tied up scrambling for the rebound. Nesmith tapped the subsequent jump ball to Turner, who dished to Hield to set up a 3-pointer.
The Knicks missed a pair of shots on their next possession and Nesmith dunked on the other end to again put the Pacers up six. Brunson responded with five straight points — a 3-pointer and a layup — sandwiching a turnover by Indiana. Turner missed a 3-pointer and Randle was fouled by Andrew Nembhard with 45.1 seconds left.
After Randle’s go-ahead free throws made it 105-104, Hield and Grimes traded turnovers during a frantic sequence near midcourt. Following a Pacers timeout, Haliburton missed a fallaway 3-pointer with Randle in his face.
Randle hit two more free throws and Barrett fouled Haliburton in the halfcourt. Haliburton hit the free throws with 4.2 seconds left and promptly fouled Randle, but Randle converted his free throws and Haliburton missed a half-courter at the buzzer.
Haliburton finished with a game-high 10 assists.
–Field Level Media
