The New York Knicks, defending NBA Cup champions, are officially in a deep hole. They sit at 0-2 in group play after a crushing 106-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday, a defeat that all but eliminates them from this year’s in-season tournament. This is a tough pill to swallow for a team that had a dream run last season.
A Gut-Punch Loss in Indy
Can you believe it? The Knicks almost pulled off another one of their signature comebacks against the Pacers. They were down by a whopping 14 points late in the third quarter, clawed their way back, and even had the game tied early in the fourth. But the Pacers, even playing without Tyrese Haliburton who is sidelined with a left hamstring strain, weren’t letting up. Indiana punched back with a 13-2 run to reassert control. The Knicks still had a chance, cutting an eight-point lead to just two in the final two minutes. Then, a messy inbounds pass from the Pacers, maybe even a missed foul call by the refs, gave the Knicks a glimmer of hope. But Karl-Anthony Towns’ shot to tie it just clanked away. Ugh, what a gut punch. On the Pacers side, every starter scored in double figures, with Pascal Siakam leading the charge with 19 points, plus 29 bench points. For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson put on a clinic with 33 points and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough.
Defending Champs Facing a Slow Start
This isn’t just about the Cup, folks. This loss drops the Knicks to a shaky 6-6 in the regular season. For a team that brought back almost every single contributor from last year’s championship run, that’s a seriously slow start. Remember, this squad had a dream 2025-26 season, winning the Cup and going all the way to the NBA Finals. Now? They’re at the very bottom of East Group B with an 0-2 record. And historically, no team with two group play losses has ever made the knockout rounds since the Cup started in 2023. This is tough, real tough.
So, what now for the defending champions? They are staring down an early exit from the NBA Cup, and their regular season record is nothing to brag about. With a roster loaded with talent that should be performing, they gotta figure out how to turn this around, and fast. The pressure is on, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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