Game 7.
“Those are the best two words in sports,” Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith said.
For the Pacers and Knicks, those two letters will decide the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday afternoon at the Garden.
Each team has served at home this series, but the few veterans in Indiana’s locker room were trying to impress on this young team to expect the unexpected and stay focused on the job.
“This is the ultimate game. And it’s a great opportunity,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “This team has had a lot of new experiences over the past three and a half weeks, and this will be another new experience. So we will do everything possible to prepare for them. But Game 7 is going to be about the level of competition and how well we stick together.”
Indiana acquired Pascal Siakam in a trade from Toronto in a moment like Sunday’s in a sold-out Garden game.
The veteran forward has already appeared in two games in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, defeating Philadelphia for the 2019 title but losing to Boston the following year.
“It’s gritty. Both teams are going to play hard. It’s going to be difficult,” said Siakam, who could fill in for injured Josh Hart (abdominal) on Sunday. “A lot is going to happen, but as long as we stay focused on our game plan and play with energy, the team that plays the hardest usually wins these games.
“It’s going to take everything. A lot of crazy things are going to happen, but we have to stay within the bounds of what we do, and as long as you come into the game with pure energy and play to your heart’s content. Stay together. That’s the most important thing. …We have to do something, stay together. The main thing I want to preach to the players is just have your energy. I mean, bring it.”
TJ McConnell supported that message.
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The diminutive guard watched helplessly as Kawhi Leonard’s iconic shot bounced at the other end of Siakam’s victory in Game 7 against Philadelphia in 2019.
In some cases, the margins are very thin.
“This is one of those games that’s won by the team that plays with the most energy and plays exhausted, and it’s win or go home,” McConnell said. “Game 7 is what every player is going to play for and we’re excited for the opportunity. But we need to be more aggressive than we’ve ever been.”
“They know why they need to go to a game if they’re not going to play until they’re completely exhausted the next game, right? And that must be the mindset of everyone here.”
Nesmith was given the task of protecting Jalen Brunson with help from McConnell.
He’s enjoying his first legitimate chance to shine on the big stage after logging two total minutes in Game 7 of the conference semifinals and finals in Boston two years ago.
“Everyone here is looking forward to it. For a lot of people, this is their first Game 7,” Nesmith said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun because it’s my first real thing.”
