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Carmelo Anthony’s shooting woes continued in Game 1 of the Knicks’ first second-round playoff game in 13 years, and it proved too much for his team to overcome.
Anthony’s poor shooting game and the size of the Pacers put the Knicks in an 0-1 hole in the Eastern Conference semifinal. Indiana beat the Knicks 102-95 Sunday afternoon at the Garden. Game 2 is Tuesday back here.
Playing with a sore left shoulder, Anthony led the Knicks with 27 points and 11 rebounds. But he shot just 10-for-28 from the field. In his last four games, Anthony is 35-for-110 (31.8 percent).
He didn’t get much help from J.R. Smith, who continues to misfire since returning from his one-game suspension in the first-round win over Boston for elbowing Jason Terry. Smith was just 4-for-15 from the field.
The Pacers were led by David West’s 20 points. Paul George added 19. D.J. Augustin scored 16 off the bench and Brooklyn’s Lance Stephenson had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Indiana held a 44-30 edge on the boards and outscored the Knicks 20-10 in second-chance points.
— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday
D.J. Augustin had 16 points for the Pacers, who built a 16-point lead while Carmelo Anthony was on the bench in foul trouble in the third quarter, and easily held on to spoil the Knicks’ first second-round game since 2000.
Anthony finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds, but was frustrated by the Pacers’ rugged defense and by the referees. He shot just 10 of 28 from the field.
— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press
