Turiaf’s Blocks Carve Out a Path for the Knicks

For Ronny Turiaf, Sunday’s game was part basketball, part wrestling. He had his eye poked, his ribs elbowed and his shoulder tugged against the Indiana Pacers. In between the bodily damage, Turiaf blocked enough shots to provide a spark and nudge the Knicks to a victory.

The Knicks will never be mistaken for the defensive-minded Boston Celtics. But they are showing signs of transforming away from the turnstile defense of their recent past, with Turiaf leading the effort from the bench. The Knicks lead the N.B.A. in blocked shots, and Turiaf accounted for half of the Knicks’ 12 on Sunday as they outlasted Indiana, 98-92, at Madison Square Garden.

“That’s just what I do, my man,” Turiaf said, smiling afterward.

He could have been referring to his blocks or to launching his body into the opponents’ way.

His last rejection helped ensure the victory, but it arrived with a mistake. With the Knicks leading, 97-92, in the final minute, Turiaf slapped Darren Collison’s shot off the backboard. Toney Douglas collected the ricochet and returned the ball to Turiaf, who had turned his attention to one of his many bruises. Collison retrieved the ball but missed the layup, and Turiaf grabbed his 10th and final rebound.

“It was one of those nights where we had to grind it out,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said. The Knicks ended a two-game losing streak and braced for another rugged stretch. They host the league-leading San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday before a Western Conference trip against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz.

The Knicks (19-14) squeezed Indiana into 37.4 percent shooting, the lowest of any opponent this season. With the game up for grabs, the Pacers missed 16 of their 23 fourth-quarter shots. The defensive effort helped the Knicks overcome their own offensive inabilities, which multiplied once Danilo Gallinari (19 points) left with a sprained left knee.

By the time he spoke with reporters, the pain had subsided, and Gallinari expressed optimism that he would not miss any games. He is scheduled to have a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday.

“I feel discomfort, but I can walk,” Gallinari said.

All five Knicks starters scored in double digits, but no player dominated, leading to 21 lead changes and 17 ties. Neither team led by as many as 5 points in the second half until Amar’e Stoudemire’s layup increased the Knicks’ advantage to 95-90 with 2 minutes 14 seconds left.

Wilson Chandler, usually a model of consistency, had a rare off game, although his two baskets came at opportune moments. Chandler’s first field goal, banked in from near halfcourt to beat the third-quarter buzzer, gave the Knicks a 2-point lead. His second 3-pointer, with 3:57 to play, broke an 87-87 tie.

Stoudemire, pestered by Jeff Foster much of the game, made three baskets in the final three minutes after Foster fouled out. Stoudemire had a game-high 26 points but shot 9 for 24. The Knicks benefited from attempting more than twice as many free throws as Indiana (40 to 19). But Indiana had 21 offensive rebounds, leading to 20 second-chance points. Danny Granger scored 25 points for Indiana, but the Knicks held him to 6 in the second half.

The Knicks occasionally struggle because their front line is relatively short, but the lack of height can also work the other way. Foster started ahead of the 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert in an attempt to counter Stoudemire’s mobility. Turiaf roamed free on defense and had four blocks by halftime, when the score was tied, 55-55 Turiaf is usually D’Antoni’s first frontcourt player off the bench, but he played only six minutes in the Knicks’ loss to Orlando on Thursday. He offered reasons for more playing time Sunday and remained on the floor for 28 minutes.

The Knicks and the Pacers, bitter rivals more than a decade ago, are looking to resurface in the playoffs. The teams share a postseason drought of a combined 10 years. The Knicks are sixth in the Eastern Conference, with Indiana (14-18) seventh. Any separation between teams close in the standings, even this early in the season, is helpful.

“You can’t wait for March to turn it on, or April,” D’Antoni said. “You’ve got to do it now.”

REBOUNDS

Stu Jackson, the league’s executive vice president for basketball operations, rescinded the technical foul that Amar’e Stoudemire drew against Orlando on Thursday. Stoudemire was penalized for taunting Gilbert Arenas after blocking his shot. Asked if he would taunt the next time he blocked a shot, Stoudemire said, “I may say it, but not as loud.” Players draw an automatic one-game suspension at their 16th technical; Stoudemire has nine.