Mar 15, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Three Bold Predictions for Knicks' Matchup vs. Pacers

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 5:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks wrap up their regular season series against the Indiana Pacers tonight at Madison Square Garden, and for a team that has playoff ambitions, this is a good opportunity to get some things right.

The Pacers eliminated New York in last year's Eastern Conference Finals, but this Indiana squad is a completely different story, sitting at 15-53 with 11 players on the injury report.

Jalen Brunson is listed as questionable with a right ankle issue and a neck strain, and Mitchell Robinson is also on the injury report.

Pascal Siakam is doubtful and Tyrese Haliburton is already done for the year on Indiana's side. Whatever the lineup looks like at tip-off, the Knicks should have enough firepower to handle this one.

The bigger concern is how they start. Mike Brown was so frustrated after the narrow win over a depleted Golden State squad that he refused to name a Defensive Player of the Game, something he had never done after a win. Slow starts have been a real pattern for this team, and no one is expecting that to be fixed overnight.

Here is what tonight could look like.

Karl-Anthony Towns Drops Another Double-Double

Karl-Anthony Towns has been the most reliable player on this team all month. He has recorded six double-doubles in seven March appearances, averaging 20.6 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor.

If Brunson sits out, the offense runs through KAT, and Indiana does not have the frontcourt depth to contain him. A 20-plus point double-double feels very likely tonight.

Mikal Bridges Finds His Rhythm Against Short-Handed Pacers

New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Bridges has averaged just 6.5 points over his last six games and has been benched in crunch time twice in that stretch. It has been a difficult run for a player who cost the Knicks five first-round picks and $150 million.

With Indiana fielding a rotation built almost entirely from their injury report, there is more open space on the floor than Bridges has seen in weeks. If he attacks early and stays aggressive, 15-plus points is realistic.

OG Anunoby Goes on a Shooting Spree

Anunoby put up 25 points on this same Indiana team just four nights ago and has been one of the steadiest contributors on this roster lately. The Pacers simply do not have the players right now to chase him off screens and contest his looks consistently.

Another 20-plus point night is entirely in play.

Even if the full starting lineup returns tonight, expect a slow start. This team has not cracked that problem in three games, and there is no reason to believe Indiana, shorthanded as they are, will be the cure. But the Knicks have shown they can find their way back into games, and that should be enough here.

Knicks 105, Pacers 98

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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