Starting in place of the injured center Myles Turner, former Indiana Hoosiers big man Thomas Bryant scored 18 points, 4 assists and totaled 9 rebounds in a loss to the New York Knicks last night.
Bryant shot 67% percent from the field (8-for-12) and played a total of 32 minutes on Tuesday night, he had only been averaging 13.5 minutes per game previous to the Turner injury.
“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Pascal Siakam said on Tuesday. “He’s just got to continue to take advantage of that.”
The Indiana Pacers did lose the game 128 to 115, despite Bryant’s strong performance. The Pacers struggled overall, finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.3%.
Thomas Bryant is averaging 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game since he was acquired by the Pacers from the Heat on Dec. 15.
The 6-foot-10 Bryant is in his eighth NBA season, averagin 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and shooting 59.0 % over that span. He has played for multiple teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.
The Indiana Hoosiers alum was Third Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore before entering the NBA Draft, he was selected by the Indiana Hoosiers in the second round. Bryant averaged 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in his two years at Indiana.
Thomas Bryant tonight against the Knicks: pic.twitter.com/FFbdiAYSls
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) February 12, 2025