Pascal Siakam scored 26 points in the first half Monday in Dallas. He finished with 29, and Indiana still lost by three.

That pretty much tells you where the Pacers are right now. They’ve got a guy who can score, even when the game gets tough. The challenge is getting him the ball in the right spots before the defense can load up and make every possession miserable.

That challenge gets even tougher Friday, when the Knicks visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video for the third night of Emirates NBA Cup group play. The rivalry will bring plenty of noise, but the matchup to watch is Andrew Nembhard trying to get Indiana organized before New York turns every trip down the floor into a grind.

There’s Already Some Ground to Make Up

Both teams dropped their Cup opener, putting New York and Indiana at 0–1 in East Group B. This is only their second group game, but with four games total, there’s not much room to keep handing them away. The group winners move on, along with one wild card from each conference.

The rivalry feels a little different now than it did when Indiana sent New York home in the 2025 Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers won that series in six. Since then, the Knicks have won a championship, with Jalen Brunson scoring 45 in the clincher against San Antonio.

So no, New York doesn’t need a November win to prove they've moved on from Tyrese Haliburton’s bouncing jumper.

But it wouldn't hurt.

Nembhard Has to Get Them Into Something

Haliburton’s availability is still the biggest question. He’s working his way back from a left hamstring strain, and Rick Carlisle hasn’t put a real timeline on his return:

He’s making great progress. I don’t know a timetable.

If Haliburton’s still out, Nembhard will have to handle more of the setup work, while they lean on Siakam to finish possessions. Nembhard’s averaging 17.1 points and 7.6 assists, and Siakam’s putting up 22.2 points on 52.1% shooting. That’s enough offense to make New York work.

Dallas showed both what this group can do and how quickly it can slip away. Nembhard had 12 assists, Siakam added eight, and Indiana shot 52.4% with 35 assists. That’s a whole lot of good offense to waste in a 125–122 loss. The game ended with Caleb Martin knocking away Nembhard’s pass, while Carlisle argued for a foul.

Against New York, I’d be watching how much time is left when Siakam gets his first real touch. If he catches it with room to drive, he can attack, draw help and find somebody else. If he’s getting the ball after Nembhard’s already spent most of the possession fighting through pressure, then Siakam’s being asked to save the whole thing.

Those are two very different jobs.

Brunson Doesn’t Make the Ending Automatic

New York's 6–4 and riding a four-game winning streak, including Tuesday’s 117–85 demolition of Milwaukee.

Still, the Knicks are just 1–4 in games that got to clutch time. Indiana's 2–4.

Brunson’s made five of 13 shots and two of six free throws in those spots this season. Siakam’s made eight of 13 from the floor and all five of his free throws. Tiny samples, obviously. Six free throws don’t suddenly make Brunson someone you’d want shooting for the other team. But they do make it tough to write “advantage Knicks” and move on like the late-game part is settled.

New York’s also got Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 20.9 points and 13.8 rebounds. Indiana can defend the first action perfectly and still have to fight to keep Towns off the offensive glass. That’s a pretty miserable way to give a closer another chance.

I’d lean New York if Haliburton’s still out.

If Siakam’s attacking before the help gets organized, the Pacers have a real chance to finish this, but it won't be easy. If he’s catching the ball with five seconds left while everyone else stands around, they’re probably setting themselves up for another long walk off the floor.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.

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