If Indiana is going to pull off an upset in the second round against the Knicks, the Pacers’ biggest chance will be… Pace.
“The path is for the Pacers to go out there and play fast and get into the 110-118 range,” one Eastern Conference scout told the Post.
“Play fast,” another scout laughed. “They have to play fast. I mean, that’s all their shit.
“If Indiana takes the ball out of the basket and walks it up, that’s an advantage for the Knicks. So if the Knicks continue to play good team basketball and score, it’s an advantage for New York. … The play-fast element stands out. That’s the key element.”
The Pacers led the league in scoring and were second in pace behind Tyrese Haliburton.
They topped 100 points in all but one game.
But the playoffs were different, with six straight wins against Milwaukee, a team with obvious defensive deficiencies, and two losses that limited them to 94 wins and 92 losses. The Knicks, on the other hand, have a defensive advantage.
“[The Pacers] I like to play fast, [the Knicks] need to be addressed [Haliburton]. Who will protect him? He’s a big, long point guard. That’s a problem,” former 76ers scout Michael Vandegarde told the Post. “[But] The Knicks control the pace well. I don’t think the Knicks want to play in the 110s or 120s.I don’t think that’s the case [Tom] Thibodeau. I don’t think that’s Jalen Brunson.
“They want to really hone it, and they’re very good at honing it. They have more focus, they have tougher players who play more consistent, gritty, tough. …That’s the difference in the game.”
But will the referee let them make a play like that?
Vandegarde felt that would be a big key after the Last Two Minutes report showed several erroneous calls in favor of the Knicks and officials allowing a physical game to play into New York’s hands.
“The umpires were letting the Knicks play the style they needed to be successful, and that’s going to be a huge piece going into this next series,” Vandegarde said.
“If New York just grinds, fouls, pushes, pushes — and that’s the way Thibs wants to play — Indiana is going to have problems, just like the Sixers. And I don’t think Indiana has as much talent as the Sixers. So if they can impose their will and the referees let them, they should win.”
Western scouts named Isaiah Hartenstein, who came in to counter Myles Turner’s three, and key players to protect Brunson (probably Aaron Nesmith).
But his most important key will be OG Anunoby’s defense against Pascal Siakam.
“I think OG is going to match up with him, and it’s a great matchup,” the scout said. “[The Pacers] Siakam needs to be as good as he was in the previous series. They need his work. But it’s a good matchup for the Knicks.
“It’s a fair matchup. I’m not saying I’m going to stop him, but one of the Pacers’ key guys is [Siakam]And Anunoby has a defender who has a reputation for being very good. And he has done his best on defense. The numbers back it up. ”
