Both the New York Knicks and host Indiana Pacers will be chasing their first NBA Cup group-stage victory on Friday when they meet in Indianapolis.
New York returns to NBA Cup competition for the first time since dropping its East Group B opener to the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 30. The Knicks rebounded from the setback with four straight wins but are coming into Friday’s game off a 115-107 loss Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 points for the Knicks in the loss, and Karl-Anthony Towns flirted with a triple-double at 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Mikal Bridges continued through early-season struggles with just two points in 17 minutes.
Bridges is averaging 5.9 points through New York’s first 11 games, a dip of almost nine points per game from his output for the Knicks last season.
“Everybody goes through those ups-and-downs,” New York head coach Mike Brown said. “Not just with him, but everybody, when you’re in a funk you have got to find one or two things to hang your hat.”
As Bridges looks for his rhythm, Landry Shamet is hitting his stride in a bench role. Shamet has scored in double-figures in three of the last five contests, including a 22-point effort on Nov. 2 against the Brooklyn Nets.
Shamet’s 9.6-point average is New York’s fourth-highest, although it is a significant drop behind Brunson’s 26.0, Towns’ 20.9 and OG Anunoby’s 16.5. Overall, the Knicks were No. 22 in the NBA in scoring at 110.3 points, heading into Thursday’s play, but have one of the league’s stingiest defenses at 103.5 points allowed.
Indiana ranks in the middle of the league in both categories with 111.6 points scored (20th) and 114.0 allowed (tied for 17th). The Pacers delivered their second-best defensive performance of the season on Wednesday in a 114-101 victory over the Washington Wizards.
The home victory slowed a recent slump, with Indiana losing seven of its previous eight games, including its Oct. 30 NBA Cup opener at Miami.
The Pacers’ struggles have largely coincided with the absence of Tyrese Haliburton, who has been out since Oct. 28 with a left hamstring strain. Haliburton, the engine of Indiana’s run to the 2025 Finals, missed last season due to an Achilles’ injury sustained in Game 7 of the 2025 championship series.
Haliburton put up 21.8 points and 9.5 assists in his four games this season before his injury.
Andrew Nembhard heads into Friday’s matchup with two consecutive double-doubles. Nembhard went for 12 points and 12 assists in a 125-122 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, then followed up with 17 points and 10 assists in Wednesday’s win.
As Indiana turns its attention to New York, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle emphasized a need for more consistent rebounding.
“Right now, we just need grit on this team,” Carlisle said. “We need grit and guts. We need a bunch of guys (who) value the ball. … New York’s a great rebounding team, so we’re going to have to get some things fixed (by) Friday.”
Indiana’s 41.1 rebounds per game are the fifth fewest in the NBA. The Knicks feature the league’s leading rebounder in Towns at 13.5.
