Jalen Brunson's status is up in the air as the Knicks prepare to face off against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Brunson, dealing with a right ankle sprain and a neck strain, is listed as questionable. Miles McBride is still sidelined, recovering from hernia surgery, with a hopeful return set for April 1.
Josh Hart has been battling left knee soreness, which flared during their recent road trip, causing him to miss games in Utah and Indiana. Despite this, he played nearly 31 minutes against the Warriors on Sunday, pulling down an impressive 12 rebounds. As of now, there's no indication that Hart will miss Tuesday's rematch with Indiana.
Landry Shamet, meanwhile, has been struggling with a neck sprain. His shooting has dipped to 36% from the field and 29% from three-point range over the last five games, a noticeable drop from his pre-injury performance. It's likely the neck issue is affecting his recent form.
The Knicks are in a fierce battle for positioning in the Eastern Conference, currently sitting third with the same number of wins as the second-place Celtics. On the flip side, the Pacers are languishing at the bottom, seemingly content to focus on securing a high draft pick and preparing for Tyrese Haliburton's return next season.
Indiana's injury report is lengthy, with Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Ivica Zubac, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin all listed as day-to-day. Pascal Siakam remains doubtful with a right knee sprain.
In their last meeting on March 13, the Knicks edged out the Pacers 101-92, thanks to Brunson's 29 points, OG Anunoby's 25, and Mitchell Robinson's career-high 22 rebounds. The Knicks nearly let it slip but managed to pull away in the fourth quarter, taking a 2-1 lead in the season series.
Catch the game at 7:30 PM ET on MSG Network and NBA League Pass. Stay tuned for more updates as game time approaches.