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Pacers Links: Pacers left cold by Knicks, move on to play Wizards

The Pacers were cold on the floor, in the locker room and likely on their trip down to Washington where they play the Wizards on Monday night.

By Tom Lewis

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Bruce Bennett

I felt like a rubbernecker late last night.

From all of the comments, tweets and the box score during the Indiana Pacers loss to the New York Knicks yesterday, I knew the Pacers were part of a train wreck at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. But I had to look at the carnage for myself. Next time I'll take everyone's word for it.

That first half was nasty and the league gets an assist for the early tip time which seemed to have the Pacers and Knicks well guarded in the first half. Both teams had a great chance to seize control of the game as it became a test of mental toughness to grind through the early tip time and poor play.

Unfortunately, the Pacers have shown themselves to be mentally fragile all season and eventually the Knicks put them under their thumb. The Knicks are a good defensive team and the Pacers went the further step by making themselves easy to guard. It was a game where an 8-point lead seemed like 20 because scoring was such a chore.

Then as Mike Wells points out, the team found only cold water available in the showers. Seems a fitting end to a wasted trip to New York. The offense of ball and player movement to generate quality scoring opportunities cracked under a little pressure from the Knicks with poor shooting and another high turnover game negating the fact the Knicks scored under 90 points for the first time this season.

The Pacers have to leave that wreckage behind in New York and show some pride in D.C. on Monday as they play the winless Wizards who no doubt see the Pacers limping in as a target for their first win. Just another chance for the Pacers to show some guts and toughness, oh and execution on the offensive end.

Check out the links:

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