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Monday April 10th,
7:00PM EST
TV:MSG, NBALP
Radio:ESPN 1050
Online Radio: The Game Live
Pacers look to fend off pursuers in playoff chase
Preview: New York (22-54) at Indiana (36-40) 7:00 pm EDT
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - The struggling Indiana Pacers will try to keep their playoff chances from slipping away when they host the New York Knicks on Monday.
A playoff team each of the past eight seasons, the Pacers have lost seven of their last eight games to put that streak in jeopardy. Indiana is in seventh place, just one game ahead of Chicago and Philadelphia with six to play.
The Pacers had their losing streak on the road extended to eight Sunday with a 98-73 loss at Detroit. Stephen Jackson led Indiana with a paltry 15 points as the club posted its fourth-lowest point total this season.
The Pacers, who are opening a three-game road trip Monday, had 18 turnovers, made just two 3-pointers and were outrebounded, 52-35.
The Knicks have won three in a row for just the second time this season after Sunday's 101-86 victory at Boston. Jamal Crawford scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, doing much of his damage in a fourth quarter that saw New York outscore its opponent, 31-10.
Crawford had 23 points to lead the Knicks to a 98-96 win over Indiana on Friday. It gave New York a 2-1 series edge.
FINAL SCORE
Knicks - 82
Pacers - 101
Boxscore
Jackson Leads Pacers Past Knicks
Recap:INDIANAPOLIS, April 10 (Ticker) -- The Indiana Pacers finally played with a sense of desperation.
Stephen Jackson scored 28 points and Peja Stojakovic added 23 as the Pacers won for just second time in nine games with a 101-82 triumph over the New York Knicks.
Bouncing back from Sunday's 73-point outing against Detroit, Indiana (37-40) is tied with Milwaukee for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of Philadelphia with five games remaining.
Trailing, 62-61, with 4:20 left in the third quarter, the Pacers used a 15-0 run to take control. Jackson scored six points and Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer and a jumper during the burst for a 76-62 lead with 10:02 remaining.
After Jamal Crawford sank a 10-running jumper for the Knicks, Jackson made a pair of baskets and Austin Croshere nailed a 3-pointer to help widen Indiana's lead to 83-66 with 8:11 to play.
Crawford made three foul shots and Eddy Curry dunked for New York, cutting the deficit to 83-71 with 7:07 remaining. However, Stojakovic and Croshere scored five points each and Jermaine O'Neal added four down the stretch to give the Pacers a 101-76 edge with 79 seconds left.
Croshere scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and O'Neal added 10 points for Indiana, who forced 19 turnovers and picked up a split of the four-game season series.
Crawford, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, made 10-of-19 shots and scored 26 points. Curry had 12 and Steve Francis added 11 for the Knicks (22-55), who saw their three-game winning streak end.
