The New York Knicks center strained a tendon in his right foot midway through the first quarter Thursday night and didn't play the rest of the game. He will have tests in New York on Friday, and hopes to play Saturday.

The Indiana Pacers beat the Knicks 88-84 after Ewing left, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"It's ironic because it's Game 2 I got hurt in last year," Ewing said. "Hopefully it won't be the case that I'll have to sit out the rest of the series."

The Knicks lost Ewing to a torn Achilles' tendon after Game 2 of last year's Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers. He missed the rest of the series, but New York still managed to eliminate Indiana in six games.

Ewing hurt his foot in Game 1 on Tuesday night, but said the injuries weren't related. On Tuesday, he had plantar fascitas, an inflammation of tissue in the sole of the foot.

On Thursday, he strained the peroneal tendon, located on the top of the foot.

"I don't really know what happened," Ewing said. "I tried to make a play, to go to the basket and I just felt something pull."

Ewing pulled himself out of the game with 5:29 left in the first quarter. He had four points and one rebound in seven minutes.

Kurt Thomas replaced Ewing, scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds. But he also fouled out, sending Dale Davis to the line with 5.8 seconds left and the Knicks trailing 86-84.

Davis missed both free throws, but was able to grab his own rebound and dish to a wide-open Jalen Rose, who dunked with 2.4 seconds left to seal Indiana's victory.

"Without the big fellow, we don't have any serious inside presence," Thomas said. "Without him in there, it's really difficult for us."

But Indiana coach Larry Bird said Ewing's absence wasn't really a factor.

"They played last year without Patrick, and they beat us," he said.

Watching the playoffs from the sideline has become something of a ritual for Ewing the last three years. There was his Game 2 injury last year. He felt a "ripping sensation" before that game, but played anyway, limping throughout most of the game. Tests the next day showed the tear in his Achilles' tendon.

Knicks center Patrick Ewing sits on the bench with ice on his injured right foot in Game 2.(AP)

In 1998, he made a surprise return from a broken wrist in Game 2 of the second-round against the Pacers. Indiana won that series 4-1.

He has missed 88 games over last three seasons with injuries, including the first 20 of this season because of Achilles' tendinitis.

What makes this latest injury even more painful is that Ewing had been playing some of his best basketball in years. At 37 and in his 15th season, he averaged 15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds in the first 11 games of the playoffs.

He averaged 15 points and 9.7 rebounds during the regular season.

"It's painful," Ewing said. "I thought we had our opportunities to win this game. We didn't make plays down the stretch to secure the victory. It's frustrating to have to watch from the sidelines.

"We needed this game more than they did. We just have to regroup and come ready to play this Saturday. I'm going to try to come back on Saturday and help my team win."