Tyrese Haliburton's historic night leads Indiana Pacers past New York Knicks

NEW DELHI: Tyrese Haliburton made NBA history by becoming the first player in 33 years to record consecutive games with at least 20 points and 20 assists. In Saturday's 140-126 victory over the New York Knicks, Haliburton finished with 22 points and 23 assists. This impressive feat puts him in elite company, joining the likes of Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (December 18-19, 1984) and John Stockton (March 1-3, 1990), who achieved similar milestones.The 23 assists by Haliburton also tied the franchise record, matching Jamaal Tinsley's performance on November 22, 2001. The Indiana Pacers secured their third straight win with Haliburton's outstanding play. Myles Turner contributed 28 points and eight rebounds, while Aaron Nesmith added 25 points. Turner and Nesmith combined for 23 points in the third quarter, establishing a double-digit lead that the Pacers maintained for the remainder of the game.Despite the New York Knicks trading away RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in a deal with the Toronto Raptors, the team fell short in their matchup against the Pacers. Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with a career-high 38 points, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory. Julius Randle recorded 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Josh Hart contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds.The game opened with the Knicks taking an early 13-4 lead, but the Pacers responded with a 28-14 run to close the first quarter. Despite the Knicks tying the score multiple times in the second quarter, the Pacers held a narrow 64-62 lead at halftime. The Pacers dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Knicks 41-30 and securing a comfortable lead that they maintained throughout the fourth quarter.(With Reuters inputs)