Knicks Have the Answers : NBA playoffs: Mostly, they involve defense in an 89-78 victory over the Pacers in Game 2.

Back home again in Indiana, beginning Saturday afternoon, maybe the Pacers will find some solutions.

What do they need in these Eastern Conference finals?

--A victory, after the New York Knicks took one, 89-78, Thursday night at Madison Square Garden with 32 points and 13 rebounds from Patrick Ewing. New York leads the best-of-seven series, 2-0.

--A starting small forward besides the Invisible Man. Derrick McKey, who has allegedly played 75 minutes the first two games, is in a disappearing act, having made two of 16 shots, scored seven points and grabbed nine rebounds.

--Reggie Miller hitting something besides a courtside printer. After being limited to 11 shots in Game 1, about five fewer than in the first 10 postseason outings, he broke free for 21 in Game 2. But he made only eight, diluting much of the impact of his team-high 23 points.

By the fourth quarter, while making four of 12 in the second half, he was obviously frustrated. The Knicks harassed him with everyone from Derek Harper, Greg Anthony and John Starks in the backcourt to Charles Oakley denying penetration up front. So when Miller lost control of a ball near the sideline at midcourt, late in the fourth quarter when the game had all but been decided, he gave a computer printer a smash with his fist.

It cracked.

The Knick defense didn’t.

“I don’t think they took me out of everything,” said Miller, who has increased his regular-season scoring average of 19.9 points by about 1 1/2 points in the playoffs. “I think they made us start our offense much farther out.”

No, they haven’t taken Miller out of everything. Only his role as the Pacers’ biggest offensive threat. Center Rik Smits has outscored Miller, 49-37, in the first two games.

The Knicks have shut Miller down from behind the three-point line, where, after finishing the regular season No. 3 in the league, he is only two of seven.

“It was a team effort,” said Harper, who had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds along with his defensive work.

“Everyone is conscious where Reggie is going on the basketball floor. The thing with Reggie, you’ve got to make him earn his shots.”

Said Pacer Coach Larry Brown: “I think they’re contesting every one of Reggie’s shots. He’ll make his share, but they’re not giving him good looks.”

The defense that was nice Tuesday--the Knicks allowed 89 points but scored 100--was downright necessary Thursday.

New York opened the second quarter with a four-point lead and then made only three of its first 20 shots. The Knicks finished the quarter seven of 26 (26.9%), scored only 15 points and still went into halftime with a 40-40 tie.

When Miller came out of the game late in the third quarter, the Knicks started to take control. A 14-0 run was good for a 71-62 lead with 9:34 to play.

Miller returned, and the Pacers got a quick basket from Haywoode Workman, but Ewing answered with two free throws and a jump shot to spark an 11-6 surge that put the game away. Indiana scored only 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“We felt an urgency,” Harper said.

“We needed to do something to turn the game in our favor. More than anything, we had to step up defensively. We wanted to get up and in on guys.”

On the same guys they want to send down and out. That chance comes at Market Square Arena with Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Sunday. Indiana is 8-0 at home during the playoffs.

“We have to prove we can beat this team,” Brown said. “We might as well try the next one.”