Jalen Brunson knows the Pacers should never be underestimated despite their record

The New York Knicks suffered a surprising upset loss to the 15th-seeded Indiana Pacers. It is one of the worst results of the Knicks' 2025-26 season, considering the Pacers only had 13 wins headed into this Tuesday night matchup.

Since the Pacers do not have their full-strength roster this season, the expectations were for the Knicks to easily win this game. However, the Pacers continue to be a thorn in the Knicks' side.

Brunson does not want to overlook the Pacers

The Knicks have been superb over the past few weeks, as they recently went on an eight-game winning streak. Unfortunately, they have suffered a couple of losses in the past week, including this one to the Pacers.

Most people expected the Knicks to win this game, but the Pacers always seem to find a way when it's against their heated rivals.

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As the Knicks' star player and captain, Brunson wants everyone to know that the Pacers are the real deal. They should never underestimate the Pacers, even though they have the East's worst record this season.

"They kept their confidence and rhythm the whole game. Regardless of what the record is, they're great. Great coach, they do everything well, they play hard, they play to the last second," Brunson said about the Pacers' matchup against them.

They are still one of the toughest opponents for the Knicks because they are well-equipped in the matchup. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle knows what it takes to beat the Knicks, which he did in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025.

Moving forward, expect the Knicks to trounce the Pacers when they have the chance. They have all the talent in the world to beat their rivals, but they were caught off guard on Tuesday.

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