New York faces Indiana for the first time since their Eastern Conference Finals battle, but both rosters look much different now.
The New York Knicks are coming off a thrilling run to the NBA Cup championship game with a victory over the San Antonio Spurs, but they will enter Thursday night's game against the Indiana Pacers with a lengthy injury report that could impact their momentum.
The Knicks (18-7) have enjoyed solid health for most of the season, though they have now released an extended list of players dealing with minor injuries heading into this matchup.
Knicks Injury Report
Guards Miles McBride (sprained left ankle) and Landry Shamet (right shoulder sprain) have already been ruled out and will not play against Indiana on Thursday.
McBride has been sidelined since December 7 due to the ankle sprain, while Shamet has been on the shelf for nearly a month dealing with his shoulder injury.
Four additional Knicks players are listed as questionable for the contest and could potentially miss the game depending on how they feel closer to tip-off.
Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee soreness) is uncertain for Thursday after he did not play the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter on Tuesday against the Spurs and was seen grabbing at his leg on the bench.
Through 24 games this season, Towns is averaging 22.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from beyond the arc.
OG Anunoby (left knee contusion) is also questionable after scoring a game-high 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting while adding nine rebounds, three assists, and a block in Tuesday's NBA Cup Championship game win.
Josh Hart (abdominal strain) and Mitchell Robinson (injury management) round out the questionable list for New York, with the Knicks being careful with Robinson's minutes throughout the season as he continues to manage his left ankle.
Pacers Injury Report
Indiana is dealing with its own injury troubles, which has been the story of their entire season so far.
The Pacers (6-20) will be without Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin on Thursday night.
Haliburton is recovering from Achilles tendon surgery after suffering a torn right Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June and has missed the entire 2025-26 season.
Nesmith continues to deal with a left knee MCL sprain while Toppin remains sidelined with a right foot stress fracture.
A Much Different Matchup Than Last Postseason
This game marks the first meeting between these two teams since Indiana eliminated New York in six games during the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.
That series featured intense moments, with Pascal Siakam earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors after leading the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
The landscape has shifted considerably since that playoff battle, as Indiana has fallen to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings while New York sits as the No. 2 seed just 2.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons.
Injuries, especially Haliburton's Achilles recovery, are the primary reason the Pacers currently sit just one game ahead of the Washington Wizards for the worst record in the league.
Siakam has done his best to carry the load in Haliburton's absence, averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game this season, but the Pacers simply do not have the depth or firepower they possessed during their magical playoff run last spring.
Looking Ahead
Thursday's matchup is the first leg of a road-home back-to-back for the Knicks, who will host the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Friday before facing the Miami Heat on Sunday.
That grueling schedule could factor into how head coach Mike Brown handles his rotation, especially with several key players dealing with nagging injuries following Tuesday's physical championship game.
Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.