The Knicks throttle the Pacers in the home opener as the rookies shine

The Knicks look much better not playing the Celtics.

A stingy defense from Tom Thibodeau, a terrible night for Tyrese Haliburton and a balanced offensive attack led to the Knicks' 123-98 home opener victory over the Pacers on Friday night.

The opposite had been the case three days earlier in a resounding loss in Boston, an embarrassing performance that did not carry over to the next game.

Everyone felt better at home, especially Mikal Bridges, who was absolutely dead with 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting while pinning Haliburton on defense.

Immediately after Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run home run 3,000 miles away against the Dodgers early in the World Series, the Garden erupted in a chant of “Let's Go Yankees”; the power of cell phones.

“We kind of knew it was going to be a good game for us. When you get your butt kicked on national television in the next game, it elevates your performance,” said Josh Hart, who finished the game with 20 points and 10 rebounds. “I think it's just because we laid a big egg in that first game. I feel like I didn't approach it defensively or with energy or anything like that. One thing I do, whether I'm making or missing shots, is have that intensity, that energy. Obviously the home opener was electric. That helped.”

While Jayson Tatum beat the Knicks in Boston on Tuesday, Indiana's leading scorer Haliburton went scoreless in 26 minutes.

Just five months ago, Haliburton relished his role as the Garden's enemy in the second-round playoff series, eliminating the Knicks in seven games and wearing a sweatshirt with Reggie Miller's infamous choke sign.

His encore was a dud.

The Pacers guard missed all eight of his shots, including seven from long range.

The Knicks outscored Indiana by 23 points with Haliburton on the floor.

They were ahead by double digits in the last 26 minutes and by 31 minutes after three quarters.

Haliburton tried to play it off.

“Yes, I’m a straight man,” the Pacers All-Star said. “I just don’t take shots. It will come.”

Haliburton, who was selected to the U.S. Olympic team ahead of Jalen Brunson, appeared at the Garden for a WWE show over the summer where he was confronted in the ring by a chair-wielding Knicks point guard.

“I should have hit him with the chair,” Brunson joked this week.

Instead, Brunson crushed Haliburton's team with basketball moves and plenty of help. Each Knicks starter scored in double figures, with Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points, 15 rebounds) showing outstanding performances in their home debuts at the Garden.

It was a rematch of the last meaningful basketball game at the Garden — a Game 7 loss by the Knicks — but hardly a sequel. Of the Knicks players who finished this contest uninjured, only Miles McBride and Jericho Sims played on Friday.

Knicks president Leon Rose revamped the roster and placed an emphasis on shooting and distancing on the field. His new additions to the marquee made their contribution.

The same applied to Brunson (26 points, five assists, five rebounds) and the entire defense (of 29 3-pointers against the Celtics, there were only three against the Pacers).

Thibodeau, who left his bench empty in the final minutes, expected a tough test.

“Yeah, overall (we have to be better than the Celtics game). Pretty much everything,” the Knicks coach said. “Defensively we are talking about a very strong offense and that is crucial. You can't relax. You must not let your guard down. No lead is safe. You need to replenish your possessions. You have to challenge shots. You have to bounce the ball. You have to be tied together. So we know what test we face.”

The Knicks passed that test.