It’s a clash of contrasting fortunes as the New York Knicks prepare to host the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2026. While these two teams squared off in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, their trajectories since could not be more different. The Knicks, riding high with nine wins in their last ten games, are firmly tied for second place in the Eastern Conference alongside the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Pacers, battered by injuries and struggling to find their rhythm, sit at the very bottom of the conference standings with a 13-40 record and have dropped four straight to start February.
This matchup marks the second meeting of the season between the two squads. Their previous encounter, back on December 18, 2025, was a nail-biter, with the Knicks edging out a 114-113 victory. Since then, New York has only grown stronger, boasting a 34-19 record and an imposing 21-6 mark at home—the second-best in the NBA. Indiana, on the other hand, has managed just three wins in its last ten games and has an abysmal 3-22 record on the road.
Injuries have hit the Pacers particularly hard. The latest blow came when rookie forward Johnny Furphy suffered a torn right ACL during a dunk in Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. Jarace Walker, who had been expected to step up in Furphy’s absence, was also ruled out of Tuesday’s contest due to illness. Walker’s absence is significant—he’s been averaging a career-high 10.3 points per game and had scored in double figures in nine consecutive outings, putting up 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game during that stretch while shooting 50% from the field and 40.5% from deep.
The Pacers’ injury report is a lengthy one: Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) remains sidelined, and they’ll also be without Ivica Zubac (ankle), who was recently acquired but won’t debut before the All-Star break. Obi Toppin (foot) and Ethan Thompson (thumb) are out, while Quenton Jackson and Taelon Peter are questionable due to their two-way contract status. On the plus side, T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Aaron Nesmith (hand), and Micah Potter (hip) have all been upgraded to available for tonight’s tilt, giving Indiana some much-needed backcourt and frontcourt support. With Walker out, Ben Sheppard is the likely candidate to fill the starting small forward spot.
The Knicks are dealing with their own share of absences but have managed to weather the storm admirably. OG Anunoby (toe) is out, missing his third straight game, and Miles McBride (pelvic) is done for the regular season after sports hernia surgery. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is sidelined for injury management. However, the Knicks have plugged the gaps with recent acquisition Jose Alvarado, who made an immediate impact after arriving from the New Orleans Pelicans at the trade deadline. In his debut against the Celtics, Alvarado contributed 12 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals—exactly the kind of gritty performance Knicks fans have come to expect.
Jalen Brunson continues to be the engine that drives New York’s offense. Averaging 27.1 points per game (10th in the NBA), he’s been on a tear recently, scoring 31 and 42 points in two of his last three games. “Brunson has just taken his game to another level,” noted one analyst on NBC Sports. “He’s not just scoring, he’s making everyone around him better.” Brunson’s playmaking has also been sharp, averaging 7.6 assists so far in February.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been a double-double machine, averaging 19.7 points and 11.9 boards per contest, with a streak of five consecutive double-doubles. Towns’ presence in the paint could be pivotal against a Pacers defense that ranks 29th in points allowed in the paint (54.2 per game). “Towns is really mixing it up down low,” said a commentator from DraftKings Sportsbook. “He’s not just a perimeter threat anymore—he’s asserting himself inside.”
Statistically, the matchup looks lopsided. The Pacers are allowing 118.5 points per game—the sixth-most in the NBA—while scoring just 109.4, the league’s second-worst mark. By contrast, the Knicks average 117.3 points (third-most) and allow nearly seven fewer points per contest than Indiana. The Pacers’ lack of offensive firepower and defensive struggles have been evident, as 20 of their 40 losses have come by at least 12 points. The Knicks, meanwhile, have won seven of their last nine games by 12 or more, and are 21-6 at home this season.
Betting markets reflect the disparity: DraftKings lists New York as a hefty 11.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 225.5 points. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulated the matchup 10,000 times, projects Pascal Siakam to lead Indiana with 21.6 points and Brunson to pace the Knicks with 26.7. The model expects the teams to combine for 229 points, with the Over hitting 51% of the time. The spread, meanwhile, is expected to hit for one side nearly 70% of the time, according to SportsLine’s data.
Expected starting lineups, based on the latest available information, feature Andrew Nembhard (PG), Aaron Nesmith (SG), Ben Sheppard (SF), Pascal Siakam (PF), and Jay Huff (C) for Indiana. For New York, it’s Jalen Brunson (PG), Josh Hart (SG), Mikal Bridges (SF), OG Anunoby (PF—though he is out, so look for a replacement), and Karl-Anthony Towns (C). With Anunoby sidelined, Mikal Bridges may see more minutes at forward, and Dillon Jones, available on a two-way contract, could get some run off the bench.
For the Pacers, Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard have been among the few bright spots, but the team’s lack of depth has been exposed against stronger opponents. Siakam, while productive offensively, has not grabbed more than six rebounds in any of his last five games. Nesmith, recently available after a hand injury, will need to step up both as a scorer and a defender if Indiana hopes to keep it close.
Tonight’s contest is not just another regular season game—it’s a litmus test for both teams. Can the Knicks continue their surge and solidify their place among the Eastern Conference elite? Will the Pacers, despite their depleted roster, find a way to surprise at Madison Square Garden? Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST, and fans can catch all the action on FDSN Indiana and MSG. Stay tuned—anything can happen at the Garden, but the odds tonight are stacked heavily in favor of New York.
