The Knicks moved into fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 110-107 win over the Pacers on Saturday. >> Box score
Here are six takeaways from Saturday’s game
1. The Knicks started 1-for-9 from the floor, and Tom Thibodeau had to call a timeout within the first three minutes of the game. But they knocked seven of their next eight to crawl back to a three-point deficit. But the Pacers wound up going on a 10-4 run to finish the quarter, and the Knicks trailed 32-23 through one. The Pacers knocked five three-pointers in the quarter.
2. After trailing by as much as 16 in the second quarter, the Knicks went on a 24-6 run through the end of the half, including a deep buzzer-beating three-pointer from starting point guard Derrick Rose.
The Knicks’ lead could have been bigger, but the Pacers were 15-19 from the free-throw line on 11 Knicks’ fouls in the half. The Knicks attempted just six free throws in the half.
3. The second half was a dog fight – the Knicks outscored the Pacers 27-26 in the third quarter, despite the Knicks getting themselves up to a nine-point lead. With 4:15 to go, the Knicks trailed 98-93, but went on an 11-0 run to give themselves a four-point lead, with RJ Barrett scoring eight of those points.
4. Leading by one with 1:16 to go, a Damontas Sabonis foul put the Knicks in the bonus. Nerlens Noel knocked both of his free throws to give the Knicks a 106-103. Noel played 41 minutes after Taj Gibson left the game early with an ankle injury.
Another Sabonis foul took Julius Randle to the line – with MVP chants spreading throughout the Garden, he knocked both, and the Knicks led by five.
Sabonis banked a three-pointer to pull the Pacers within two. A foul sent Barrett to the line, who missed his both of his free throws. But the Pacers turned the ball over with a chance to win, and Frank Ntilikina’s two free throws iced the game.
5. Barrett kept up his hot perimeter shooting, knocking four of six shots from behind the arc. He has hit 63.2 percent (12 of 19) of his three-pointers since Feb. 15.
6. Rose got the start when Elfrid Payton was ruled out prior to Saturday’s game. Rose had 11 points in the first half, and finished with 17 along with a season-high 11 assists.
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