Indianapolis—Just hours after the Knicks sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and draft capital to Toronto for Anunoby, Achiuwa and Flynn the Knicks traveled to Indiana to face the Pacers.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 points and matched a franchise record with 23 assists. He achieved the feat of consecutive 20-20 games in these categories, making him just the third player in NBA history to do so. The Indiana Pacers(17-14) secured a 140-126 victory against the New York Knicks(17-15) on Saturday night.

“I didn’t know 23 was the franchise record or otherwise I would have hunted to get 24,” Haliburton said with a laugh. “Any time your name is brought up with legends of the game, it’s awesome.”

Haliburton, who notched his 23rd assist with a pass to Andrew Nembhard and only 1:05 left on the clock, now stands alongside Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (Dec. 18-19, 1984) and John Stockton (March 1 and March 3, 1990) as the sole players to achieve back-to-back performances with at least 20 points and 20 assists. Jamaal Tinsley previously held the Indiana record with 23 assists against Washington on Nov. 22, 2001.

He currently leads the NBA in assists, averaging 12.8 a game. When asked about Haliburton, Coach Carlisle simply responded “his offensive level is beyond elite.”

Indiana got its third consecutive victory, bringing their record to 17-14. The Pacers displayed impressive accuracy with a 60% field goal percentage and equaled the team’s record by sinking 23 3-pointers. Myles Turner contributed 28 points and eight rebounds, while Aaron Nesmith added 25 points to the scoreboard.

After trading RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round pick to Toronto on Saturday, the Knicks suffered their third consecutive loss, appearing undermanned in the game. In return, they acquired OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn.

“Anunoby can really defend,” Knicks forward Julius Randle said. “He can shoot. Big, long. He’ll be really good for us. RJ, he’s like a little brother to me. We’ve been through ups and downs year after year together. It’s tough. Quick is like a little brother, too. I think they’re going to be great for a long time, and I’ll always be a fan from a distance.”

The Knicks already missing Mitchell Robinson, who is out due to an ankle injury. On Saturday, due to the trade they were left working with an 8-man rotation. Donte DiVincenzo had a career-high 38 points on the evening. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle each added 28 points apiece for the Knicks, who shot 47% on the evening.

Up next the Knicks host the Timberwolves on Monday afternoon.

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By Vincent Quezada

Photo Credit: AP/ Grace Hollars