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The Indiana Pacers are coming off a rough Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Six players were in double figures, and the Pacers were competitive throughout the night despite the raucous crowd at Madison Square Garden. A few blown calls against Indiana may have tilted the outcome of the game but Myles Turner was right in mentioning that they should not focus on the wrong whistles of the referees.
Game 2 will be a dogfight on Wednesday night, and the Pacers will definitely come out with a vengeance. Tyrese Haliburton must be better in the next game because he was atrocious in Game 1, especially in the clutch. Despite his subpar production, unheralded gems like T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin continued their impressive numbers from Round 1.
Despite the close loss, the Pacers will upset the Knicks in this series, and here are the three main reasons why this will occur.
The Pacers are just deeper
In the postseason, it is a long journey to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy because you need to win 16 games in around two months. With the philosophy of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, this seems insurmountable for his crew. He utilizes around 7-8 men per night, but the minutes are heavily focused on four individuals in Jalen Brunson Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and OG Anunoby.
It turned out to be an effective strategy in Round 1, but Indiana is a far deeper bunch than the Philadelphia 76ers.
McConnell and Toppin are by far more effective than the second-unit guys of the Knicks, so their numbers will be a huge edge for the Pacers. Furthermore, Indiana’s bench had a terrific plus-minus in Game 1, so if this continues along with the continuous improvement of the starters, they will be on a great track.
The pace will be too much for the Knicks
When the Pacers are at their best, the pace is amazing and their opponents have a tough time keeping up. They lead the NBA in field goals made and field goal attempts, so it was a massive indicator that they want to have as much as they can get in one game.
As a result, it would be more difficult for New York to keep up because of the shallow bench that Thibodeau continues to utilize in the postseason.
Haliburton and McConnell are the catalysts of their fast-paced style, so they must be consistent in taking charge in every given moment. McConnell was fantastic in building the lead during the time he was on the floor, so Haliburton must find a way to compete with Jalen Brunson in Game 2. Brunson outplayed him immensely, so the impact of Haliburton must be more felt for the following outings.
The assists discrepancy will be a massive advantage
In connection to the pace of Indiana, the assist numbers are a vital indicator of success for their team. In Game 1, the Pacers were ahead in this category, 32-25, so it will be a positive sign if the Pacers continue this strategy. The assist numbers are not only an advantage in the box score but also increase the confidence and rhythm of everyone in the rotation.
Indiana is not known to excel on the defensive side of the floor, but if the guys are on a string and focused for 48 minutes, they will able to limit the scoring machine of the Knicks. Assists are an incredible indicator of unselfishness, and the Pacers must fully utilize their commendable camaraderie to upset the Knicks.
More must-reads:
- Key Knicks forward ruled out for Game 7 vs. Pacers
- Knicks could get major boost for Game 7 showdown with Pacers
- The 'Most triple-doubles in the postseason' quiz
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