You'll Need a Pace(r) Maker For Two Harts This Time | Official Pacers (#4) vs. Knicks (#3) Eastern Conference Finals Thread

[RickyGQ]

As an observer watching the Knicks at least 30 times this season and probably similar last year

- KAT is who he is but wasn’t this whole trade about him playing next to a big man that could cover his flaws.
- Sounds like I’m defending KAT, I’m not, I don’t like him but Thibs runs no offense for him
- I mean of course you take this Brunson, and it’s not even about him not trusting his teammates, he probably does but you can’t win with him - I’m not even going to expand on how garbage he is on D, but players like OG and Mikel are not typical 3&D players - they actually get going if plays are run for them. Thibs and Brunson dominate the ball and attack in a way it will be very hard for them to get in a groove. I guarantee you Hali would win with this NY team more than Brunson could with the Pacers.

KAT was brought in to be the stretch 5. It’s wild cause we have the personnel to run a spread offense like Indy does, not at the same pace obviously, but still we flat out refuse to do it. And when Brunson was out for extended time this season, Mikal and OG put up their best numbers as Knicks.

Thibs spent the whole season jamming a square peg into a round hole. Convinced that spamming that 5 man unit will give them the reps to turn things around despite ALL the evidence that they were bad. We gave him the chance to prove it. But it’s one of the situations where you HAVE to be right or else you literally wasted MONTHS that you could have been figuring out an alternative. Thats a firable offense to me. You just can’t wait until the ECF to start trying lineups that just don’t have the reps together. Especially against a young and hungry Indy team that’s been doing exactly that with their rotations for 2 straight seasons.

Best thing for all parties involved is to force Thibs to retire. Give him a front offense job in NBA league scouting or something. Let him pour over game film of other teams like he loves to do. Dude clearly is obsessed with the game but his time has passed.

 

[RickyGQ]

…this been my issue since the season was 10 games into the regular season.

Mikal and OG play MUCH better when they’re integrated into the offense but Thibs and his love for Brunson Ball malfunctions when things veer off course.

Mikal is a PnR ball handler who should be setting players up. OG does work in the low post.

Create offensive sets that make it easy for them…and if that’s too hard just run a bunch of backdoor and off-ball plays to make they feel integrated.

The fact they made it to the ECF despite the lack of offensive playcalling is a miracle honestly. Now the Knicks are stuck because of the CBA and most their assets are gone so you either need to flip one/two of their players for another flawed star or stick it out with the core you have.

They can fill their bench out this summer and actually use it. They just need a league average player to replace Josh in the starting lineup. Whether that be Mitchell Robinson with a legit backup for him at the 5, or they go get another defensive wing that can actually space the floor and cover Brunson on defense.

 

[The God Poster]

That's our fakkit..

I’m legit surprised KAT/Silver has let this type of talk go on so long without saying anything

 

[RickyGQ]

Thibs did well but Carlisle has been coaching circles around him with the way he’s been managing the games. The min the Knicks even go on a 5 point spurt he’s calling a timeout then coming back out with an ato that gets them a bucket 80-90% of the time

The Knicks really needed that game 1. To collapse like that with guys playing that well will break your psyche and there was immense pressure on them in game 2.

But at the end of the day the Pacers are just a better team and every single time down the floor they are getting much better shots than than the Knicks.

This isn’t a slight to Carlisle at all, but it’s not like he’s just making in game adjustments. The Pacers are just a better team. Despite not having the better talent than the Knicks. Like it’s clear as day, they’re just better prepared for every situation they’ve needed to beat the Knicks. They have the reps. I let my hope and fandom blind me to the fact that continuity is king. Just knowing what you need to do in every situation imaginable, because you’ve been in those situations countless times is invaluable in basketball. They’re like the 04 pistons in that regard.

Only issue for them is, OKC has a lot of those same strengths.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Thibs is so annoying

He keeps puttin Cam Payne in who's trash to spell Brunson but refuses to play Precious even though Saikum is torchin you

He refuses to play him

Just get Thibs outta here I'm sick a this guy

 

[In The Zone '98]

Bench scoring. You gotta make those minutes count

Need 3 players to give you 5-10 points

Defense is not a premium this series

Cam Payne. We looking at you buddy. All we need is 5 points

Check the box score on Sunday. You'll see...

 

[Schadenfreude]

Bench scoring. You gotta make those minutes count

Need 3 players to give you 5-10 points

Defense is not a premium this series

Cam Payne. We looking at you buddy. All we need is 5 points

Check the box score on Sunday. You'll see...

Might the Knicks get bench production like they did in game 1?

 

[BrehWyatt]

call me crazy but i think indy has the horses to give okc a hard time

What this series is telling me is that they are a much better matchup for OKC than NY would be. I don't think either team beats the Thunder 4 out of 7 times, but Indy is more likely to avoid the broom.

 

[In The Zone '98]

Might the Knicks get bench production like they did in game 1?

They didnt hit the quota

Mitch only scored 2. Payne/Deuce got over 5

 

[RickyGQ]

Josiah Johnson (@kingjosiah54) on Threads

Haliburton getting permission from Adam Silver to take the Knicks out

www.threads.com

 

[Schadenfreude]

They didnt hit the quota

Mitch only scored 2. Payne/Deuce got over 5

You'd take him getting two if he's getting offensive boards for extra possessions though

 

[BrehWyatt]

I hope it goes seven.

Indy has the edge in coaching -- slight -- and a notable edge in depth. These things sound like trump cards this time of year, but to this point the latter hasn't mattered for the Knicks. Right now, I'm saying Indiana just because they seem to have been playing more consistently in the playoffs.

I honestly couldn't care less who wins, though. I'd be cool with either side getting to the finals.



Boston went 4-0, convincingly, against the Knicks in the regular season. You saw what it got them when the money was on the line.

As it turns out, thus far that shyt is mattering for the Knicks now. The coaching edge was greater than I gave Carlisle credit for, and the depth is showing itself to where one, Indy doesn't HAVE to have a certain player or two go gangbusters to win and two, they are getting plus production off their bench.

To be honest, losing game 1 in the fashion they did was devastating for the Knicks and probably affected them in game 2.

Now the Knicks have got to win 4 out of 5 against a team that has proven they can win any game facing any adversity so long as there is time on the clock.

 

[In The Zone '98]

You'd take him getting two if he's getting offensive boards for extra possessions though

They need the points

15-30 bench points puts them in the best position to win

 

[Big Boss]

Carlisle a HOF coach right???

 

[Nero Christ]

These playoffs the past couple of years have show beyond just have a solid starting 5...you need 3 guys coming off the bench to be above average producers out there.

NY has Deuce & Mitch trying to equal TJ, Obi, Bryant, & Mathurin.