You can always go one of two ways with games such as this one.
"A win is a win, so shut up."
Or.
"How could any self-respecting team with postseason ambitions only beat the woeful Knicks by five points on its home court?"
The Pacers are going for the rose-colored outlook as they fight amid strong headwinds to cling to homecourt advantage for the opening playoff round, no matter how many style points they might be lacking. Their 103-98 win over a 13-55 New York team at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday had its tense moments, but it will forever count as a victory that kept them tied with Philadelphia for third place in the Eastern Conference and two games ahead of fifth-place Boston.