EditorsNote: 4th graf, change Knicks' record to 4-19; 7th graf, should be eighth time in 10 games; smaller changes elsewhere
Julius Randle missed a game-tying free throw with one-tenth of a second remaining as the host New York Knicks were handed a 104-103 loss Saturday night by the visiting Indiana Pacers in the debut of interim coach Mike Miller.
The Knicks saw their losing streak reach nine games and played their most competitive game of the skid a day after David Fizdale was fired. The Knicks had numerous chances to get their first win since Nov. 18, but went cold down the stretch, missing 13 of their final 14 shots.
Their last miss was when Myles Turner blocked Mitchell Robinson at the rim with two seconds left. Randle grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Aaron Holiday.
Randle made the first free throw, but his second free throw attempt was long and the game ended with New York dropping to 4-19.
The Pacers won the game despite going scoreless for the final 5:17 and missing their final seven shots. They went scoreless after Jeremy Lamb converted a 3-point play to make it 104-98.
The Knicks were within 104-100 on Robinson's dunk with 5:05 left but missed five shots on one trip in a span of 26 seconds.
T.J. Warren scored 25 points for the Pacers, who won for the eighth time in 10 games. Domantas Sabonis collected 19 points and 15 rebounds for his eighth straight double-double, and Indiana shot 48.2 percent while playing without Malcolm Brogdon (sore hand).
Marcus Morris scored 25 points for the Knicks, who trailed by 11 early in the fourth quarter after losing their previous two games by a combined 81 points. Randle contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds, but the Knicks shot 40.6 percent.
Warren's 3-pointer put Indiana up 74-66 with 9:27 remaining in the third, but the Knicks used a 12-2 spurt to take a 78-76 lead on a free throw by RJ Barrett with 3:59 left.
Indiana ended the quarter with a 13-3 run and took an 89-81 lead into the fourth when McDermott hit a long jumper with 51.2 seconds left, and then extended the lead to 92-81 lead on McDermott's 3-pointer early in the fourth.
--Field Level Media
