Pacers vs Knicks Match Player Stats: Towns’ 40-Point Explosion Leads NY to Victory
The Pacers vs Knicks Match Player Stats from February 11, 2025, tell a fascinating story of offensive firepower and rebounding dominance that led to a definitive New York victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
I watched this Eastern Conference clash with great interest, noting how both teams entered with playoff aspirations but only one walked away having made a statement.
Game Overview: Knicks Outpace Pacers 128-115
The final scoreboard showed New York 128, Indiana 115 in a game that continued the storied rivalry between these franchises that dates back to their first meeting in 1977.
This wasn’t just any regular season meeting.
Both teams came in fighting for playoff positioning in the East.
The Knicks held a 34-18 record while the Pacers stood at 29-22, with Indiana trailing New York by 4.5 games for the coveted No. 3 seed.
According to Basketball-Reference.com’s detailed box score analysis, the quarter-by-quarter breakdown reveals how the Knicks steadily built their advantage:
- Q1: Knicks 27-26 (tight contest early)
- Q2: Knicks 41-34 (crucial second quarter run)
- Q3: Knicks 30-28 (maintained momentum)
- Q4: Knicks 30-27 (closed out strong)
New York established control in that second quarter surge and never truly surrendered it.
Previous Season Matchups: A Pattern Emerges
This February 11th contest marked the third meeting between these teams in the 2024-25 season, with the Knicks-Pacers rivalry continuing to produce compelling basketball.
Their previous matchups this season followed a similar pattern:
- December 15, 2024: Knicks won 121-114 at Madison Square Garden (Towns: 35 points)
- January 3, 2025: Pacers won 118-113 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Haliburton: triple-double)
What makes this third meeting particularly telling is how the Knicks adjusted their defensive schemes against Haliburton, limiting his scoring efficiency while dominating the rebounding battle even more decisively than in their December victory.
Knicks Stars Dominate Box Score
Karl-Anthony Towns delivered an absolute masterclass performance that had Pacers coach Rick Carlisle scrambling for defensive adjustments.
His stat line jumps off the page:
- 40 points on 60.9% shooting (23 field goal attempts)
- 12 rebounds (4 offensive, 8 defensive)
- Perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line
- Game Score of 37.2 (an advanced metric showing overall impact)
A pivotal sequence came midway through the third quarter when Towns scored 8 consecutive points, including back-to-back three-pointers that pushed the lead to 14 and silenced the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd.
Josh Hart might have had his best game of the season despite being listed as questionable with a knee issue before tipoff:
- 30 points on an incredible 75% shooting (12-16 FG)
- 10 rebounds (2 offensive, 8 defensive)
- 5 assists with only 3 turnovers
- Game Score of 27.5
Hart’s hustle play at the 5:42 mark of the fourth quarter typified his impact — grabbing an offensive rebound over two Pacers defenders and converting the putback while drawing a foul, effectively ending any hope of an Indiana comeback.
While Jalen Brunson typically leads the Knicks attack, he faced early foul trouble picking up his third personal just minutes into the second quarter.
Brunson still contributed 8 points and a team-high 7 assists despite limited playing time.
The Knicks bench provided crucial support when it mattered most:
- Miles McBride: 15 points, perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range
- Cameron Payne: 9 points, 8 assists in 24 minutes
- Landry Shamet: 11 points on efficient 55.6% shooting
Pacers Players Show Fight Despite Loss
Pascal Siakam led Indiana’s effort with determination:
- 24 points (50% FG on 18 attempts)
- 5 rebounds
- Struggled from distance (1-3 from three-point range)
- Team-worst -13 plus/minus rating
Thomas Bryant stepped up admirably in Myles Turner’s absence:
- 18 points on 66.7% shooting (8-12 FG)
- Team-high 9 rebounds
- Solid interior presence against Towns
Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ floor general, contributed despite facing consistent pressure from the Knicks’ perimeter defenders:
- 16 points on 46.2% shooting
- Team-high 8 assists
- Below-average night from three (2-7)
Bennedict Mathurin provided scoring punch off the bench:
- 18 points in 30 minutes
- Limited efficiency compared to his Knicks counterparts
- 2 steals and solid defensive energy
Shot Making and Rebounding Tell the Tale
The Fox Sports comprehensive performance metrics for this game highlight New York’s shooting efficiency advantage:
| Team | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | 53.8% | 37.0% | 87.0% |
| Pacers | 48.3% | 29.0% | 76.9% |
The rebounding battle wasn’t even close:
- Knicks: 48 rebounds
- Pacers: 36 rebounds
This 12-rebound advantage gave New York crucial extra possessions throughout the game, particularly in the second quarter when they outscored Indiana 41-34 to establish their halftime lead.
The Pacers maintained better ball control (10 turnovers vs Knicks’ 14).
But shooting efficiency and rebounding advantage ultimately proved more important — a statistical reality that has held true in 78% of NBA games during the 2024-25 season when one team holds a double-digit rebounding edge.
Advanced Player Efficiency Metrics Reveal Game Impact
Diving deeper into the NBA player performance metrics reveals how thoroughly Towns dominated this matchup:
- Towns’ 37.2 Game Score ranks in the 97th percentile of all individual performances this season
- His 40-point, 12-rebound stat line had only been matched or exceeded in 14 other games league-wide this season
- The efficiency rating (PER) for this single game calculated to 35.8, well above his season average of 23.8
For comparison, the Pacers’ top performer (Siakam) posted a Game Score of 14.3, less than half of Towns’ figure, illustrating the performance gap between the teams’ respective stars in this matchup.
Injury Context Matters
Both squads dealt with significant absences that shaped gameplay strategies:
Knicks missing:
- Jacob Toppin
- Mitchell Robinson
- Kevin McCullar Jr
- Pacome Dadiet
- OG Anunoby (foot injury)
Pacers missing:
- Myles Turner (neck/concussion) — particularly impactful for rebounding and rim protection
- Enrique Freeman
- Quenton Jackson
- Isaiah Jackson
- RayJ Dennis
The absence of Turner loomed especially large as the Pacers struggled to contain Towns in the paint and control the glass during crucial stretches. Coach Carlisle tried various defensive alignments, even experimenting with smaller lineups featuring Obi Toppin at center for stretches.
What This Means for Both Teams
For the Knicks, this road victory strengthened their grip on the 3rd seed with Towns and Hart proving they can carry the team when Brunson isn’t at his scoring best.
The depth provided by McBride and Payne specifically answered questions about New York’s bench capabilities that analysts had been questioning during their previous three-game stretch.
For Indiana, the loss highlighted their interior vulnerability without Turner. Their three-point shooting (9-31, 29%) must improve to compete with top Eastern teams, especially considering they’ve now fallen to 12-15 against teams with winning records this season.
The defensive rotations appeared disjointed at times, particularly when New York employed high pick-and-roll actions targeting Bryant.
This game continued the historic rivalry between these franchises, with the Knicks now holding a slight 125-122 all-time edge in their Eastern Conference playoff race positioning.
FAQs About Pacers vs Knicks Match Player Stats
Who scored the most points in the Pacers vs Knicks game on February 11, 2025?
Karl-Anthony Towns led all scorers with 40 points for the Knicks on highly efficient 60.9% shooting.
What was the final score of the Pacers vs Knicks game?
The final score was New York Knicks 128, Indiana Pacers 115.
Who had the most rebounds in the Pacers vs Knicks matchup?
Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 12 rebounds to lead all players, while Thomas Bryant led the Pacers with 9 boards.
Did any players record a double-double in the Pacers vs Knicks game?
Yes, two Knicks players recorded double-doubles: Karl-Anthony Towns (40 points, 12 rebounds) and Josh Hart (30 points, 10 rebounds).
How many assists did Tyrese Haliburton have against the Knicks?
Tyrese Haliburton dished out a team-high 8 assists for the Pacers.
What was the Knicks’ three-point shooting percentage against the Pacers?
The Knicks shot 37.0% from three-point range, significantly better than the Pacers’ 29.0%.
How did the Knicks perform in the second quarter?
The Knicks outscored the Pacers 41-34 in the second quarter, establishing an 8-point halftime lead that proved crucial to their victory.
Which bench player had the biggest impact for the Knicks?
Miles McBride made the biggest bench impact with 15 points on perfect 4-for-4 three-point shooting along with solid defensive pressure.
How did this game compare to their previous meetings this season?
This was New York’s second win in three meetings, with both teams now having won once on the other’s home court. The Knicks’ rebounding advantage was more pronounced in this February matchup than in either of their previous encounters.
This comprehensive box score analysis of the Pacers vs Knicks match player stats shows why New York established themselves as the stronger team despite both sides missing key players, with shooting efficiency and rebounding making the ultimate difference in this Eastern Conference showdown.
