Hart Blazes for 33 as Knicks Pull Away and Put Indiana in a Hole

Josh Hart sets the tone, and the Knicks never really let go

The Knicks didn’t need a miracle finish or a late rescue act. They needed a jolt, and Josh Hart provided it. From the opening minutes, New York plays with force, spacing and pace, then keeps layering pressure until Indiana can’t keep up. The Knicks win 136-110, and while the game is still tight through the first half, the closing stretch turns into a full-on New York surge.

Hart is everywhere. He finishes with 33 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in just 26 minutes, hitting 92 percent from the floor and knocking down five threes. That efficiency shows up early and often. New York opens the game with an 8-0 run after trailing 12-11, sparked by OG Anunoby drilling a 25-foot three to flip the floor and the energy. Indiana answers repeatedly in a game that features 10 lead changes, but the Knicks keep finding clean looks and second-chance edges that prevent the Pacers from ever truly settling in.

The second quarter swing changes the feel of the night

The turning point comes in the second quarter, when New York starts stacking possessions and Indiana starts giving away just enough space for the game to tilt. With the score sitting at 57-62, the Knicks rip off a 9-0 run capped by J. Alvarado’s running three off an Anunoby assist to go up 66-62. Then, almost immediately after Indiana trims it back to two, Hart buries another 3-pointer to push the margin to 75-64. That sequence doesn’t just put New York in front — it drains the life out of Indiana’s best response.

By halftime, the Knicks have turned a 34-38 first quarter deficit into a 72-64 lead, and the third quarter only widens the gap. New York keeps getting the kind of shot quality that tells you the offense is humming, not just hot. OG Anunoby finishes with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, going 77 percent from the field and punishing Indiana in the midrange and in transition. Karl-Anthony Towns adds a steady 22 points and 11 rebounds, giving the Knicks a frontcourt balance that keeps the Pacers from loading up on any single threat.

New York’s depth keeps the pressure on in the fourth

The real avalanche arrives in the fourth. New York starts the period already ahead, then blows the game open with another extended push. The key sequence comes after Indiana has already been forced into chase mode: Mitch Robinson cuts for a dunk to help fuel a 9-0 home run that moves the score from 115-98 to 124-98. That’s the kind of backbreaker that turns a solid lead into a dead game. The rim protection, the cuts, the easy baskets — it all becomes too much for Indiana to absorb.

Even the late possessions feel like New York putting a stamp on the night. P. Dadiet picks off a steal at 3:48 and follows it with a running layup seconds later. T. Kolek drills a pull-up three. J. Huff finishes an alley-oop. J. Slawson buries a 26-foot three. The Knicks aren’t just surviving the final minutes; they’re extending the margin and using the last five to keep their foot on the gas. New York’s biggest lead reaches 27, and the final 136-110 scoreline looks every bit like what it is: a thorough, controlled home win.

The Pacers had chances, but couldn’t sustain the pressure

Indiana actually shows enough fight early to make this feel competitive for a while. The Pacers get out to a 6-point lead at one point and keep trading punches through a first half that includes 10 lead changes. T.J. McConnell gives them a spark with 10 points and 10 assists in 20 minutes, while the ball moves and the Knicks are forced to defend multiple actions. But once New York’s run defense tightens and the Knicks start winning the possession game, Indiana doesn’t have the defensive answer to stop the bleeding.

In a game like this, the numbers tell the story cleanly: New York shoots too well, rebounds well enough, and gets enough playmaking from everywhere to keep Indiana off balance. The Knicks get big scoring from Hart, frontcourt production from Towns, and efficient two-way impact from Anunoby. They also get a strong table-setting night from Jose Alvarado, who posts 16 points and 10 assists, helping the offense stay organized when the Pacers threaten. For Indiana, the positives are there in stretches, but they’re buried under New York’s shot-making and the repeated collapse of any margin close enough to matter.

The bigger picture is straightforward: this is the kind of win that can matter in the standings because it looks sustainable. The Knicks aren’t scraping by on one hot shooter; they’re getting balanced offense, pace, and late-game depth. If this version of New York shows up consistently, they’re going to be a tough out in any playoff race or matchup. Indiana, meanwhile, leaves with a clear lesson — keeping pace for a half isn’t enough when the other team can turn one run into three more and bury the game before the fourth quarter even starts.