Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points to lead seven Indiana players in double figures on Sunday, helping the visiting Pacers rally to a 141-136 win over the New York Knicks in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Jordan Nwora and Andrew Nembhard scored 19 points apiece, George Hill added 17 and Buddy Hield had 15 for Indiana (35-47), which shot 51.7 percent from the field and 19 of 34 (55.9 percent) from 3-point range.
Aaron Nesmith scored 14 points and Oshae Brissett chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds.
Obi Toppin led New York (47-35) with 34 points and Immanuel Quickley added 30. The Knicks, who are locked into the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, played without starters Julius Randle (sprained left ankle) and Jalen Brunson (right hand injury maintenance).
Indiana trailed by seven at the start of the final period before going on a 22-8 run to move ahead 122-115 with six minutes remaining. Indiana held off a late charge to win for the first time in four meetings with the Knicks this season.
Quentin Grimes finished with 22 points and RJ Barrett had 18 for New York, which begins its first-round playoff matchup against the No. 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers next weekend. Josh Hart added 10 points and 11 rebounds before being ejected in the fourth quarter.
Indiana was eliminated from playoff contention last Sunday and rested several rotation players in the season finale, including Tyrese Haliburton (sprained right ankle), Myles Turner (sore left ankle) and Jalen Smith (right knee soreness).
New York jumped to a 28-18 lead after making 11 of its first 15 shots from the field. Toppin scored 16 points in the first quarter to help the Knicks take a 45-41 lead.
New York stretched its lead to 12 points early in the second quarter before Indiana closed on a 15-7 run to move ahead 73-71 at the half. Mathurin scored 19 points in the first half to lead all scorers.
The Knicks took their biggest lead of the game at 99-83 after Toppin hit a 3-pointer with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. Toppin finished 13-of-23 shooting from the field and went 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Mitchell Robinson had a game-high 20 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost their second straight following a five-game winning streak.
–Field Level Media
