Indiana
Knicks’ help is on the way after brutal trip to Indiana
The New York Knicks are in desperate need of home cooking. After opening the series with two consecutive wins, the Knicks now find themselves knotted up with the Indiana Pacers at two games a piece. Things went horribly wrong in Indiana, especially in Game 4. But thankfully, the Knicks return to New York for Game 5. And while home court isn’t as good as having a healthy OG Anunoby, Madison Square Garden has been incredibly kind to the Knicks so far this postseason. And that home-court advantage could rejuvenate a Knicks team that has looked increasingly beaten down.
Knicks’ home court has been good this postseason
The Knicks are presently 4-1 when they play at home this post-season. That’s not terribly shocking, but the fact remains that home-court advantage still exists in New York. Madison Square Garden was especially loud in the Knicks’ first-round matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. They did their best to intimidate and psych out the 76ers with a special focus on reigning MVP Joel Embiid. And for the most part, they did their job.
The crowd was slightly less engaged in Game 1 against the Pacers, but they woke up late in the game. To be fair, even fans suffer emotional hangovers after advancing past a rival in a hard-fought series. They were sharper in Game 2, but there is considerably more motivation for Knicks fans to come back with a healthy dose of energy and vitriol for Game 5.
The logic behind why Knicks’ fans will be motivated is obvious; namely, a blowout Game 4 loss in Indiana. But despite being pretty banged up when the series began, New York is even more banged up now. OG Anunoby suffered a hamstring strain that cost him Game 3 and Game 4. Anunoby is questionable for Game 5. Jalen Brunson also tweaked his right foot. And while he hasn’t missed a game, he has not looked like a fully healthy version of himself since the injury, especially in Game 4.
Can MSG replace injured OG Anunoby?
Anunoby’s injury is especially worrisome. His presence is obviously a major boost for New York, who is 26-5 with Anunoby in their lineup. He is among the best defensive stoppers in the game, and he’s shown impressive flashes on the offensive end in the second-round matchup with Indiana.
Thankfully, the Garden crowd is a powerful sixth man. They have been especially engaged this postseason, and they are an intimidating bunch. Expect an extra degree of motivation for Game 5, as Knicks’ fans are likely bitter about how Game 3 ended and the lack of a fight in Game 4.
But home-court advantage isn’t exactly new to the Knicks. They were tied for the ninth-best record at home throughout the regular season and closed out the year 7-3 at MSG. That’s impressive, especially for a team that was dealt its fair share of injuries this season.
Hopefully coming home has a powerful effect on the Knicks. Otherwise, their season could be over. New York’s injuries have left them rather undermanned. And that’s hamstrung a team whose depth was a major strength. Now, they’re struggling to fill out their rotation. And playing Brunson and Josh Hart more than 40 minutes per game has already taken a toll. The longer this series goes, the worse it looks for the Knicks’ chances of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, which they haven’t done in 24 years.
Milwaukee Bucks (11-18, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (6-23, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bucks -1; over/under is 220.5
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana will try to stop its five-game slide when the Pacers take on Milwaukee.
The Pacers are 2-5 against opponents in the Central Division. Indiana has a 3-14 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Bucks are 3-4 against Central Division opponents. Milwaukee ranks fifth in the NBA averaging 15.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 39.9% from downtown. AJ Green leads the team averaging 3.1 makes while shooting 46.8% from 3-point range.
The Pacers average 109.7 points per game, 7.2 fewer points than the 116.9 the Bucks allow. The Bucks average 15.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.4 more made shots on average than the 11.6 per game the Pacers give up.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Bucks won the last matchup 117-115 on Nov. 4, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 33 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Ethan Thompson is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Ryan Rollins is averaging 17 points, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 3-7, averaging 108.9 points, 41.1 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 7.3 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points per game.
Bucks: 3-7, averaging 108.0 points, 39.2 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Ben Sheppard: day to day (calf), Isaiah Jackson: day to day (head), Aaron Nesmith: out (knee), T.J. McConnell: day to day (knee), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Indiana basketball (9-3) finishes nonconference play with a visit from Siena (9-3) out of the MAAC tonight. The Hoosiers are 6-0 against mid-majors, while this is the Saints’ first game against a power conference opponent.
We will have score updates and highlights throughout, so please remember to refresh.
What time does Indiana basketball play Siena tonight, Dec. 22? Start time for Indiana basketball vs Siena tonight, Dec. 22
The Indiana-Siena game is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET tonight, Dec. 22, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.
Where to watch Indiana basketball vs. Siena tonight, Dec. 22? What channel is the Indiana-Siena college basketball game tonight, Dec. 22?
TV: BTN
Watch college basketball with a free Fubo trial
How much are IU basketball tickets tonight? Indiana basketball tickets vs. Siena tonight, Dec. 22
IU basketball tickets on StubHub
Zach Osterman, IndyStar: Indiana 84-62
“Indiana’s second-half power outage Saturday felt like an aberration, at least in games like this. Siena, though, might not necessarily be a walk-over opponent. The Hoosiers should win comfortably, but any pre-holiday malaise might make their last nonconference game uncomfortable. “
Where to listen to Indiana basketball vs. Siena tonight, Dec. 22
As of Dec. 21
- 0, Jasai Miles
- 1, Reed Bailey
- 2, Jason Drake
- 3, Lamar Wilkerson
- 4, Sam Alexis
- 5, Conor Enright
- 6, Tayton Conerway
- 7, Nick Dorn
- 10, Josh Harris
- 11, Trent Sisley
- 12, Tucker DeVries
- 13, Aleksa Ristic
- 15, Andrej Acimovic
(all times ET; with date, day of week, location and opponent, time, TV)
- Sun., Jan. 4: vs. Washington, 8 p.m., BTN
- Wed., Jan. 7: at Maryland, 6:30 p.m., BTN
- Sat., Jan. 10: vs. Nebraska, noon, BTN
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
Indiana
Indiana State Police: Beer spilled all over I-65 northbound in Indianapolis during semi crash
INDIANAPOLIS — Beer was spilled all over Interstate 65 northbound on the south side of Indianapolis late Sunday afternoon.
The beer was spilled when a semi and an SUV became involved in a crash near mile marker 109, which is located near the area where I-65 and Raymond Street converge.
The Indiana Department of Transportation sent a notification about the crash around 4:52 p.m. That notification indicated that all lanes of the interstate had been closed in the aftermath of the crash.
Indiana State Police confirmed that troopers found objects scattered all over the road when they arrived at the scene. They later determined that those objects were beer cans.
INDOT sent a maintenance crew to the scene to help police get the interstate cleaned up. ISP confirmed that medics also responded to the crash scene, though they did not transport any of the individuals involved in the crash.
I-65 northbound was closed at mile marker 109 until about 6:04 p.m., according to INDOT. That means the roadway was closed for a little over an hour as crews worked to clean up the crash scene.
ISP diverted traffic off of I-65 and onto Raymond Street while troopers cleaned up and investigated the crash. The cause of the crash is currently unknown.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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