Pacers 82, Knicks 71: Roy Hibbert collected a postseason career-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as host Indiana won a defensive battle to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals over New York.

Paul George added 14 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and five steals and George Hill scored 17 for the Pacers, who host Game 4 on Tuesday. Indiana has yet to lose at home in the postseason.

Carmelo Anthony was the only player to reach double figures for the Knicks with 21 points on 6-of-16 shooting. After blitzing the Pacers with a 36-4 run over the third and fourth quarters to run away with Game 2, New York came out flat and was held to 35.2 percent shooting in Game 3.

The Knicks were within 44-41 after Anthony’s jumper less than four minutes into the third before Indiana began to gain some separation. George hit a technical free throw and Hibbert made it a three-point possession with a basket to spark a 14-3 run over the next five minutes.

New York pulled back to within 62-51 when Amar’e Stoudemire hit a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the third, but never got closer than eight points in the fourth. Hill’s 3-pointer with 2:16 left gave the Pacers their biggest lead of the night at 80-64 and they were able to coast to the finish.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Stoudemire (knee) played for the first time since March 7 and scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting in nine minutes off the bench. … Knicks G J.R. Smith (illness) was questionable but ended up playing 25 minutes and going 4-for-12 from the floor. He is shooting 27.5 percent in the last five games. … The Pacers dominated the glass 53-40 to help make up for a 10-for-33 performance from 3-point range. George went 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.