November 12, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisKnicks Bring Momentum Into Indiana to Face a Pacers Team Without Its Star
New York's form and Indiana's Haliburton-less struggles point toward a Knicks road win.
This page is the pregame analysis. The box score is the main page for the game, and the matchup history collects every meeting between these teams.
The Pacers are trying to survive without Tyrese Haliburton, and the results have been rough. The All-Star point guard, back from a torn Achilles, is still out with a left hamstring strain, and his absence has outlasted the original two-week estimate. Indiana is 3-8 overall and 1-6 without him. Rick Carlisle told reporters to "check back in 10 days" on his status, so there is no quick fix coming.
Indiana's patched-together look is clear in the starting five of Andrew Nembhard, Oubre, Nesmith, Siakam and Zubac, with Nembhard running the point. That group has real size and experience, but it asks Nembhard to carry the creation duties that Haliburton normally handles. Against a locked-in opponent, that is a heavy load.
New York arrives at 6-4 and has won six of its last seven, including a 109-97 win at Cleveland and a 117-85 rout of Milwaukee on Tuesday. Jalen Brunson, who just reached 1,000 career three-pointers, leads the Knicks at 25.9 points per game. Karl-Anthony Towns pairs with him and leads the team with 13.8 rebounds per game. That rebounding matters because Drew Eubanks (pectoral) and N'Faly Dante (knee) are both out, leaving the frontcourt thin behind Towns. If Indiana wants a way in, it is attacking the glass and testing New York's depth up front. Josh Hart's technical foul against Cleveland is also under possible league review, which is worth watching for a key rotation player.
Still, the Knicks have the more reliable offensive engine and the stronger recent form. Indiana's size should keep this competitive, but without Haliburton the Pacers lack a primary playmaker, and Brunson's shotmaking should be the difference late. Prediction: Knicks 112, Pacers 105.