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Rick Carlisle Hilariously Credits Bad Colts Loss for Rowdy Pacers Crowd in Win Over Knicks

Both teams played at home and had different fates.

Kyle Koster

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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The Indiana Pacers scored 74 second-half points to outgun the New York Knicks, 132-121, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Ben Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton were exceptional in the backcourt, combining for 71 points on 24-of-36 shooting, including 11-of-19 from beyond the three-point line. The win got the Pacers to .500 on the year and gives them a leg up in any tiebreaking scenario with the Knicks, who have also been somewhat pedestrian out of the starting blocks.

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle began his commentary with a statement on the 17,274 fans who crammed into the building and elevated the atmosphere. Especially those who were on the second leg of a sports doubleheader.

"What a game," Carlisle said. "What a great crowd. There's nothing like a bunch of pissed off Colts fans to really make the atmosphere what it needs to be for a game against New York. Happy that all those folks showed up."

Those ticked-off Colts fans wandered over from Lucas Oil Stadium, where they witnessed a punchless team get bullied by the Buffalo Bills in a 30-20 loss where a lot of people likely realized that 39-year-old Joe Flacco probably isn't capable of saving the season. So they really needed a win and a palette cleanser.

Tough spot for Carlisle. A coach has to support the other local teams but if disappointed fans are helping the Pacers win he might find himself rooting for more of that in the future. Both teams play in Indianapolis on Nov. 24 with the Colts hosting the Lions and the Pacers welcoming in the Wizards.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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