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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
NEW YORK (AP) – The fans booed the Knicks with the same venom
they usually save for Reggie Miller. Fortunately for New York,
there were still 36 minutes left for them to make things right.
After being chastised long and loud following a lousy first
quarter, the Knicks rediscovered the intensity that had been
missing for a week and came back to defeat the Indiana Pacers 97-83
Tuesday night.
"When you play like we did in the first quarter, you deserve to
be booed," Glen Rice said. "We were on the verge of getting
embarrassed, and we just can't stand for that anymore. We just got
fed up with it and decided enough was enough and said 'We've got to
stop this.' "
Kurt Thomas scored 19 points, Latrell Sprewell had 16 and Mark
Jackson 15 for the Knicks, who had six double-figure scorers.
Marcus Camby returned from a two-game absence and had 12 points and
10 rebounds.
Travis Best had 18, Jalen Rose added 16 and Miller 14 for the
Pacers. Miller went 0-for-5 from the field in the fourth quarter
and scored just three points over the final three quarters.
After falling behind 30-13, the Knicks shot 56 percent over the
final three quarters, committed only three turnovers during that
span and shut down a Pacers offense that was working to perfection
in the first 12 minutes.
New York wrapped up the victory with an 18-1 run that consumed
most of the final 6 1/2 minutes to avenge a 13-point home loss to the
Pacers earlier this season.
"We've been struggling the past two games, but we found some
energy, spirit and enthusiasm. Our defensive quickness picked up
and we got more energetic overall," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy
said.
The teams will play each other again Wednesday night at
Indianapolis, with the Knicks bringing a seven-game road losing
streak into that game.
This victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Knicks
that included a loss to the lowly Chicago Bulls.
Van Gundy said his team needed to rediscover its intensity, and
the thing that seemed to finally make it happen was the anger of
their fans after the first quarter ended with Indiana holding a
17-point lead.
All five Indiana starters played 12 minutes in the first quarter
and scored practically at will against New York's defense. No
player was picked on more than Jackson, who committed three
turnovers and was scored upon nearly every time he tried to guard
Miller or Rose.
The second quarter was entirely different as the Pacers stopped
playing with any semblance of intensity and allowed New York to
come roaring back.
The Knicks hit 13 of 17 shots in the period and scored 35 points
to pull within one at halftime, and Thomas finally gave New York a
50-49 lead by hitting the first basket of the second half.
Jackson finally found his comfort zone in the third quarter as
the Knicks repeatedly got him the ball isolated against Best.
Jackson scored two straight times in that matchup to give New York
a 63-53 lead, then put back his own miss to end a 7-0 run.
After Rose shot an airball from the corner, Jackson pulled up on
the fast break for a 12-foot jumper that gave the Knicks a 73-63
lead.
Indiana started the fourth quarter with a 5-0 run to pull within
one, 75-74, but Thomas scored the next four points, Miller missed
consecutive 3-pointers and then was called for a technical foul
coming out of a timeout with 5:58 left.
"We thought Glen Rice had double dribbled in the post and we
didn't get the call," Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said. "That was
not the turning point in the game. The turning point was the second
quarter when we couldn't sustain our defensive effort."
That left the Pacers trailing 86-78, and Miller missed two shots
and committed a turnover on Indiana's next possession. Sprewell hit
two foul shots and a jumper for a 90-79 lead with 3:21 left that
all but ended it.
Game notes
Rice was not expected to play because of a sore left foot,
but came off the bench to make his first five shots. He finished
with 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting. ... Knicks forward Larry
Johnson sat out the second half with a sore back. He scored seven
points in 15 first-half minutes. ... Before the game, the Knicks
placed Luc Longley on the injured list and activated Felton
Spencer, who had not played since Jan. 23. ... The Knicks improved
to 12-0 when shooting 50 percent or better.
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NBA Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Minnesota 95
Charlotte 89
New York 97
Indiana 83
Chicago 87
Cleveland 74
Phoenix 93
Denver 82
Sacramento 98
Toronto 91
Vancouver 105
Portland 97
San Antonio 101
Seattle 73
LA Lakers 97
Golden State 85
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