Knicks Narrowly Escape Game 1 with a Win
date
May 7, 2024
Files & media
slug
Knicks-Pacers
status
Published
tags
Knicks
Basketball
summary
The Knickerbockers squeak out a hard fought Victory against Indiana in game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but it was’t easy.
type
Post
It’s May 7th, and the Knicks are still playing basketball.
What a time to be alive.
The angst in the atmosphere is palpable surrounding this team.
The amount of resilience this group displayed fending off the ambivalent antics of Joel Embiid and the Sixers cannot be understated and it seems to have boiled over into game 1 against Indiana.
This team is just fun to watch.
Time and time again, even when the fans have had their doubts, the Knicks have overcome hardship emphatically.
Jalen Brunson has been on a tear giving us another 40+ point performance in game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Brunson’s consistent output is now teetering on a historic level. His fourth consecutive game scoring 40 or more points has put his name in great company with guys like Jerry West, Bernard King and Michael Jordan.
The Knicks were trailing for a good portion of the second half but the team showed once again what they’re capable of in crunch time.
At the start of the fourth the Pacers led by 5. On the back of Brunson’s 21 points the Knicks chipped away at the Pacers lead and delivered in the biggest moments.
Indiana has proven to be a team that loves to push the pace as much as possible and it was clear in game 1. In the first half, the Pacers were running the floor at will as the Knicks got out to a slow start shooting.
I thought the Knicks did a better job in the second half of setting up on defense, largely following misses. The Knicks are known for their relentless nature on the offensive boards and Indiana wants to play fast to counteract that and catch New York’s defense out of position.
The Pacers have a deep team with plenty of scoring options coming off the bench and Thibodaeu may have to incorporate more of the Knicks bench to avoid having players like Josh Hart/Jalen Brunson getting burnt out.
The Knicks and Tom Thibodaeu must continue to put emphasis on defense in transition and physical play in order to halt the speed of Tyrese Halliburton and this young Indiana team. It may take more than a 7 man rotation to stay afloat and I’m curious to see if the dispersion of minutes changes in game 2.
The Knicks played sloppy all in all but turned it on when they needed to most, which has been the story all playoffs from this team.
The officiating in the fourth certainly allowed the Knicks to steal this one especially the untimely moving screen called on Myles Turner in the final minute.
Nevertheless, this team consistently exudes a calm energy that propels them in late game scenarios and Jalen Brunson is our fearless leader. If Brunson can shoulder the load on offense and drop 40 points night in and night out, then this Knicks team has potential to make some serious noise going forward.