2024 NBA Playoffs: East Semifinals: #2 New York Knicks vs #6 Indiana Pacers (IND WINS 4-3)

[Clav]

This series has been a very enjoyable one for me. I have respect for both teams getting here. Of course both show how they are effective in different ways.

I'm really impressed with Hart/Hartenstein playing well above what they have in the past. Inspirational play from both of them. Brunson has been sublime too. He's awesome, huge shots!

Indiana has impressed me too, Turner has played great these playoffs and deserves some credit for sure. The bench mob of the Pacers and the high pace is super impressive because they have stuck to the game plan n' it worked quite well in G3/4 at home.

Haliburton is feeling the overall increasing sharpness of playoff defense, and Indiana needs some help getting him going (just like how Edwards was corralled and doubled vs DEN in G5 and didnt' have the greatest individual game). It helps to have another initiator to pair (as a outlet to create) so teams can't willfully put two on the ball and rotate savagely upon passing out. That's what I'm looking at in G6.

[basketballwacko2]

Tale of two games! Pacers pull the Jekyll and Hyde card!

[cgf]

Even if we win this series (something we wouldn't deserve), you cannot be pleased with what you are seeing from this pacers team.

You struggled a lot against the bucks without giannis in a series you could have easily lost without that game winning shot by haliburton.

Then you face this Knicks team that is playing without two starters and their backup center and their best player off the bench and you are getting blown out while being pretty much at full strenght ?

You are supposed to have two max player (counting siakam) and you cannot dominate this Knicks team playing without FOUR IMPORTANT PLAYERS ?

I am not sure we really have a choice giving siakam that max contrat but man that guy is such a weird player. i don't know if this New version of him, going from that Athletic, Quick do it all forward to this kind of slow/smooth post UP player, IS really what we needed to take that next Step.
He lacks strengh so he has trouble getting to his spot and doesn't dominate at all out there on both end of the floor. He can't even take advantage of being guarded by hart. That is not a max player at all for me.

At some point it is important not confusing inexperience and just not being very good.

This feels like an over reaction befitting of the Knicks board

There have been just two blowouts in this series. 1 of the Knicks and 1 of the Pacers. The first 3 games were down to the wire and you’re imposing yourselves on the game against us way better than the 6ers did with their crybaby MVP and impressive young allstar guard.

I think the Bucks series can be spun either way. Yes you needed 6 to beat a team you outclassed, but this was your first time in the playoffs. Coming out flat in your first playoff game and struggling to put a veteran team away in your first elimination game, isn’t uncommon.

On the flip side, you absolutely pasted them in the other games of that series after learning those young-team-lessons


And Bogdanovic wasn’t our best bench player, Hart was before Randle got hurt and McBride was after that. Plus it’s not like your best player is any healthier than ours, and you’re missing your third best player (Mathurin) rather than your 2nd best like we are (Randle).

Yes we’re missing Robinson who is a stud, but that is arguably our deepest position as even without Mitch, we can trust Achiuwa or Sims to give us good minutes when iHart is on the bench.

[cgf]

This series has been a very enjoyable one for me. I have respect for both teams getting here. Of course both show how they are effective in different ways.

I'm really impressed with Hart/Hartenstein playing well above what they have in the past. Inspirational play from both of them. Brunson has been sublime too. He's awesome, huge shots!

Indiana has impressed me too, Turner has played great these playoffs and deserves some credit for sure. The bench mob of the Pacers and the high pace is super impressive because they have stuck to the game plan n' it worked quite well in G3/4 at home.

Haliburton is feeling the overall increasing sharpness of playoff defense, and Indiana needs some help getting him going (just like how Edwards was corralled and doubled vs DEN in G5 and didnt' have the greatest individual game). It helps to have another initiator to pair (as a outlet to create) so teams can't willfully put two on the ball and rotate savagely upon passing out. That's what I'm looking at in G6.

Yeah, I haven’t checked any lineup data but I would be surprised if Hali-TJ lineups aren’t having the most success for them.

[dakomish23]

Some game 5 stats

Points in the paint
Knicks 62 (Brunson 26)
Pacers 36

Rebounds
Knicks 53 (Hartenstein & Hart combined for 28)
Pacers 29

2nd chance points
Knicks 27
Pacer 9 (Siakam 7)

That's the ball game. Yes Brunson was unstoppable. Yes Pacers turnovers did lead to 24 points for the Knicks (Pacers had 18 off Knicks turnovers). But this is where they got creamed when it mattered.

Pacers shot 47% from the field (18-38) 60% from 3 (6-10) and 100% from the line (12-12) in the first half. You could not realistically ask for better shot making. Stillthey were down 15. Points off turnovers was Knicks 14 Pacers 13. Pacers hit the same amount of 3's as the Knicks and shot double the free throws.

But their inability to complete defensive possessions absolutely killed them. You have to gang rebound vs the Knicks b/c they will gang rebound vs you.

[EastonEddy]

If Pacer wanna get serious get rid of Rick and his gimmick offense and no defense. The Pacers can still pull out two wins if they get hot.

[Pacers_Freak]

Even if we win this series (something we wouldn't deserve), you cannot be pleased with what you are seeing from this pacers team.

You struggled a lot against the bucks without giannis in a series you could have easily lost without that game winning shot by haliburton.

Then you face this Knicks team that is playing without two starters and their backup center and their best player off the bench and you are getting blown out while being pretty much at full strenght ?

You are supposed to have two max player (counting siakam) and you cannot dominate this Knicks team playing without FOUR IMPORTANT PLAYERS ?

I am not sure we really have a choice giving siakam that max contrat but man that guy is such a weird player. i don't know if this New version of him, going from that Athletic, Quick do it all forward to this kind of slow/smooth post UP player, IS really what we needed to take that next Step.
He lacks strengh so he has trouble getting to his spot and doesn't dominate at all out there on both end of the floor. He can't even take advantage of being guarded by hart. That is not a max player at all for me.

At some point it is important not confusing inexperience and just not being very good.

This feels like an over reaction befitting of the Knicks board

There have been just two blowouts in this series. 1 of the Knicks and 1 of the Pacers. The first 3 games were down to the wire and you’re imposing yourselves on the game against us way better than the 6ers did with their crybaby MVP and impressive young allstar guard.

I think the Bucks series can be spun either way. Yes you needed 6 to beat a team you outclassed, but this was your first time in the playoffs. Coming out flat in your first playoff game and struggling to put a veteran team away in your first elimination game, isn’t uncommon.

On the flip side, you absolutely pasted them in the other games of that series after learning those young-team-lessons


And Bogdanovic wasn’t our best bench player, Hart was before Randle got hurt and McBride was after that. Plus it’s not like your best player is any healthier than ours, and you’re missing your third best player (Mathurin) rather than your 2nd best like we are (Randle).

Yes we’re missing Robinson who is a stud, but that is arguably our deepest position as even without Mitch, we can trust Achiuwa or Sims to give us good minutes when iHart is on the bench.

Sometimes we can lose the forest through the trees. I said at the time we weren't/aren't good enough to beat a healthy Bucks team in the series but the Pacers were given a gift of a chance to gain valuable playoff experience for a young team because of the injuries. Coming into the Knicks series my opinion was the same. Worst case scenario this team has picked up 12 games of playoff experience as opposed to 4 or 5 if the Bucks were healthy. Any realistic Pacer fan should have taken this and run at the beginning of the year. This group is young and will continue to get better and this playoff experience is only going to help.

[bisme37]

Congrats on the win last night Knicks fans. I was really impressed. In the previous game it kinda looked like the wheels were falling off but these Knicks are warriors. Brunson is dope. Good stuff.

[Im Coming Home]

I mean.. wheres the lie..

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[Pacers_Freak]

I mean.. wheres the lie..

Read on Twitter

We all have that crazy cousin we try not to claim as a part of the family.

[iLLmatic860]

I mean.. wheres the lie..

Read on Twitter

We all have that crazy cousin we try not to claim as a part of the family.

Especially Knick fans tbh lol

There’s always that wild “fan” and everybody else runs with the narrative he’s speaking for the whole fanbase lol

[Hoop Hunter]

Two complete @ss whoppings. Neither matter now.

On to game 6.

[Capn'O]

Not to further minimize losing Mathurin, but I like what I've seen from Sheppard. He's taken good advantage of the opportunity.

[cgf]

Not to further minimize losing Mathurin, but I like what I've seen from Sheppard. He's taken good advantage of the opportunity.

Yeah, me & chuck were waxing poetic about other-Ben during the game. Kid took his turn at getting cooked by Jalen, but he's looked very smooth & smart, with a good stroke. Mathurin was a big loss, but Sheppard looks like he can be a player for them too.

[Hoop Hunter]

Not to further minimize losing Mathurin, but I like what I've seen from Sheppard. He's taken good advantage of the opportunity.

If he hadn't stepped up we'd have been in trouble. He's played valuable minutes for us at SG. 3 pt shooting, strong defender and a player that doesn't make many mistakes. Sheppard was a nice pick late in the 1st round.

Besides losing Mathurin, we lost Buddy with nothing in return for this season, via trade. That's a lot of offense to lose at one position.

We drafted Sheppard and Nembhard with the picks we got from Cleveland for LeVert.

[cgf]

Not to further minimize losing Mathurin, but I like what I've seen from Sheppard. He's taken good advantage of the opportunity.

If he hadn't stepped up we'd have been in trouble. He's played valuable minutes for us at SG. 3 pt shooting, strong defender and a player that doesn't make many mistakes. Sheppard was a nice pick late in the 1st round.

Besides losing Mathurin, we lost Buddy with nothing in return for this season, via trade. That's a lot of offense to lose at one position.

We drafted Sheppard and Nembhard with the picks we got from Cleveland for LeVert.

Kid looks so much like Grimes did for us last year...and I mean that as a compliment lol. Grimes was our best perimeter defender last season, always made smart decisions with the ball, and had a great stroke.

Sucks that Mathurin doesn't get to share in this experience, but the rest of your roster should take a ton from this whether you pull this off or not.

[iLLmatic860]

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[omerome]

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No rhythm whatsoever.

[cgf]

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No rhythm whatsoever.

It was almost not completely off beat...so pretty good for Boston

[DaGawd]

Not to further minimize losing Mathurin, but I like what I've seen from Sheppard. He's taken good advantage of the opportunity.

If he hadn't stepped up we'd have been in trouble. He's played valuable minutes for us at SG. 3 pt shooting, strong defender and a player that doesn't make many mistakes. Sheppard was a nice pick late in the 1st round.

Besides losing Mathurin, we lost Buddy with nothing in return for this season, via trade. That's a lot of offense to lose at one position.

We drafted Sheppard and Nembhard with the picks we got from Cleveland for LeVert.

i yell no every time sheppard gets an open look, he can really shoot the ball