The New York Knicks faced another setback in the Eastern Conference Finals, falling to the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the series. Despite a standout performance from Jalen Brunson, who scored a team-high 36 points, the Knicks could not overcome critical defensive lapses that allowed the Pacers to seize control of the game. The series now moves to Indiana for Game 3 on Sunday night. Needless to say, the Knicks’ most important task moving forward will be regrouping and making all the right adjustments.
Mitchell Robinson was perhaps the most important player for the Knicks this game, playing 29 minutes of effective basketball. He contributed with six points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, including a notable block against Tyrese Haliburton’s shot attempt with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. Robinson appeared to tweak his ankle after landing awkwardly during one play, raising concerns about his condition moving forward.
In just the first half alone, Robinson logged 16 minutes, a testament to his crucial role to the team’s defensive works. The Knicks bled out on both sides of the ball in crunch time. Karl-Anthony Towns played an incredible game for the Pacers. He shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, connecting 9 of his 18 attempts while logging those 27 minutes. After Towns took a long stay on the bench, New York used his absence as a chance to attack. Their shooting percentage fell to 33.3 percent, making just 4 of 12 shots in that time span.
The Knicks’ defense has been the overwhelming topic of focus and concern. As Josh Hart told us, the only goal is to get better every day. He noted, “The rotations ain’t there defensively. We got to do a better job of just helping each other.” He noted with great emphasis that very rarely does a playoff game not come down to one or two key possessions. He continued to pressure the squad to show more defensive organization.
Even Jalen Brunson was singing from this same hymnal, acknowledging the need for the Knicks to get more defensive with their playing. They play great situational football, doing a fantastic job at moving the ball in first down situations and forcing turnovers. To truly protect against the first, second, and sometimes even third action, we have to focus on getting better at defending. Brunson put on a show as he always does. Unfortunately for him, he had a terrible miss on a long three pointer that would have tied the game with only eight seconds left in it.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t mince words about the team’s performance. Especially when he knows he has to make some changes ahead of Game 3. “We are going to get back there, and I will explore all options to find a better route to victory in Indiana for Game 3,” Thibodeau said. All indications are that he will shake up the starting five. He’s banking on this to shore up the defensive deficiencies and to jump-start some of the team’s lost mojo.
As the series moves to Indianapolis, the Knicks are in deep trouble with their backs against the wall following two lackluster games. With Game 3 right around the corner, they’ll have to work to tighten up their strategy. Getting their defensive rotations under control is paramount to them building any sort of momentum back in this extremely important playoff series.
Leave a Reply