Pacers Eliminate Knicks in Game 7
date
May 21, 2024
Files & media
slug
Knicks-eliminated
status
Published
tags
Basketball
Knicks
summary
The run is over…
type
Post
What an incredible and encouraging 2023-2024 campaign from The New York Knicks.
The first 50-win season in 11 years.
A group embodiment of “leaving it all on the floor”, exceeding projections and defying insurmountable odds.
Prior to game 7, a report from inside the Knicks locker room disclosed that OG Anunoby had been pleading with head coach Tom Thibodeau to start the game despite his hamstring injury suffered in game 2.
Anunoby, who traveled to Indiana for games 3 and 4 hoping to rejoin the team at some point, had never been fully cleared, listed as doubtful to see time on the court again in the second round.
Which is why his return to the lineup in game 7, although initially encouraging, lasted about five minutes. He resembled a wounded calf more than a basketball player.
Hobbling up and down the floor, clearly in pain. Thibodeau knew he had to save Anunoby from himself, however his determination, and eagerness to play hurt, once more shows how much grit this group possesses.
The Knicks chances of winning this game vanished early, with no glimpse of a comeback in sight the way Indiana was shooting the basketball. The Pacers shot 67.1% from the field, 54.2% from downtown and put up 70 points in the first two quarters.
Any team, especially the Injury riddled Knicks, would have succumbed to a shooting performance as such. Which is why I have to reluctantly applaud the Pacers for their ability to come into hostile territory and be as effective as they were.
It was like watching a pregame shoot around — Indiana found their spots on the floor and refused to miss uncontested looks. The starters for Indiana nearly averaged 20 points across the board and TJ McConnell, a difference maker all series, was an efficient 6-8 in only 12 minutes coming off the bench.
The Knicks never looked ready to play in this one and fumbled an opportunity to extend their playoff lives but I don’t think anyone is questioning their heart in the end. This team withstood an amalgam of injuries, criticism, and hardship that would have crumbled most other teams, but they continued to battle.
I tip my cap to players like Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo for their unwavering effort in the face of adversity and willingness to accept any role that was thrust upon them by Tom Thibodeau.
With that said, Thibodeau has caught a ton of heat for his strategy in the playoffs that I believe to be misguided. Even I was beginning to question Thibs for his minute distribution, but I think we all are failing to realize this team was hindered physically even before the playoffs began and Thibodeau didn’t have many options left.
We haven’t seen a playoff run with this much energy behind it in some time and I think we let our emotions cloud the facts —this team, in their current form, was not ready to win a championship.
In January, this group appeared to be destined for a title.
The weeks following the acquisition of OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa, is when the team was operating at peak performance and putting the league on notice. At full strength, there wasn’t much to dispute — the team was strikingly well balanced, highly motivated, and deep with scorers/defenders, surely a topic of discussion in the front office when considering who to resign and pursue in a retool for next season. There is no guarantee that this group will remain whole come next year with several contracts due to expire. Anunoby and Hartenstein will likely be getting top dollar for their overachievement this year and head coach Tom Thibodeau will also require a contract negotiation before next season.
Additionally, the team will almost certainly be looking to acquire a second star to pair with Jalen Brunson and the front office has placed themselves in a sound position to do so, whether through a trade or free agency signing.
Newsday’s Steve Topper has reported: “All indications are…Brunson’s willing to sign a 4-year, $156 million contract extension…provide 5 more years of certainty in New York, rather than waiting until next summer for a 5-year, $270 million extension”. A selfless move from Brunson knowing the team will need every dollar for free agency they can get.
Furthermore, The Knicks have sole ownership of all their first-round picks moving forward and a plethora of draft selections obtained through trading with other clubs.
There will undoubtedly be plenty of action in New York this offseason and I’m excited to see what route Leon Rose and the front office take in upgrading the team.
For now, let’s appreciate the ride this team just took us on.
Give the dawgs rest, they’ve earned it.