Knicks’ Elimination: Delay or Inevitable Outcome?
Did the Knicks’ exit from the Eastern Conference Finals merely postpone what was bound to happen?
New York certainly brings star power, especially when compared to the Pacers. Yet, Brandin Podziemski of the Warriors doesn’t think the Knicks’ explosive play would hold up against his team.
“I’m relieved it was the Pacers, not the Knicks… if the Knicks had faced us, it would have been a clean sweep,” Podziemski mentioned in an interview on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams. “The Knicks just don’t have enough to compete with OKC, both offensively and defensively.”
After dramatically eliminating the Celtics in the second round, the Knicks fell to the Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Though the Warriors met an early end, losing to the Timberwolves in the second round, Podziemski thinks he has insights into how to take down Oklahoma City.
“The Pacers can rotate 10 players at any time. There are games where all 10 score in double digits,” he pointed out. “That unpredictability poses a challenge for OKC.”
Outside of their 7-game battle with the Nuggets, the Thunder have been impressive this postseason.
Even in their Game 7 against Denver, they outclassed the Nikola Jokic-led team with a substantial 32-point victory.
The Thunder’s lineup, highlighted by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, is formidable.
Despite this, Podziemski thinks Oklahoma City’s defensive capabilities may have contributed to the Knicks’ struggles.
The Knicks tend to rely heavily on Jalen Brunson for isolation plays. “That’s an area OKC excels at defending. Just look at their matchup against the Timberwolves. They recognize that most of the scoring comes from [Julius] Randle and [Anthony Edwards], so they focus on disrupting that and pushing others to step up,” he elaborated.
Meanwhile, the Pacers have consistently seen their role players rise to the occasion, even when star Tyrese Haliburton has underperformed.
Podziemski believes Indiana has a better shot than New York. Yet he concludes with caution, “OKC is the top team in the NBA for a reason—they accidentally won 68 games.”
