Tony Bradley assisted the Pacers in overcoming the Knicks’ advantage in rebounding.

Pacers Take 2-0 Lead Over Knicks

INDIANAPOLIS – As the playoffs continue, Tom Thibodeau’s rotation for the Knicks is getting tighter. Meanwhile, Rick Carlisle’s Pacers secured a 2-0 series lead after their latest game on Friday night.

Recognizing the shortcomings from Game 1, Carlisle opted to give some time to seldom-used big man Tony Bradley. The move aimed to counter Mitchell Robinson’s athleticism on the boards.

Bradley, who had only seen 17 minutes of play across four postseason games, made the most of his eight minutes, contributing with a positive plus-one rating while securing a few rebounds.

“Tony hasn’t played much, but he’s one of our strongest rebounders,” Carlisle shared post-game. “We decided to use him to give Myles a bit of a break. Our team needs the contributions of everyone to succeed,” he added.

With Myles Turner and backup Thomas Bryant both picking up two fouls early, Carlisle quickly turned to Bradley, a first-round pick from 2017, standing at 6-foot-10. In contrast, the Knicks’ reliable veteran PJ Tucker remained on the bench throughout the game.

Thibodeau relied solely on Robinson and guard Miles McBride to push the tempo for a few minutes alongside the starting five.

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Only backup guard Campain made an appearance from the second unit, managing to log nine minutes without scoring.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Bradley, now 27, remarked, “I focus on being a good teammate and working hard. I’m just ready to give it my all.”

He mentioned his strategy of keeping Robinson from dominating the glass: “I communicate with him, and I just focus on wearing him out.”

The Pacers find themselves ahead 2-0 despite the Knicks leading in rebounds, 84-70, over the two games.

Robinson shone with a playoff-high performance, even sharing the court with Karl-Anthony Towns, who was briefly sidelined in the fourth quarter.

Robinson’s contributions included six points, nine rebounds (four on the offensive end), and three blocks, yet notably, only one of his rebounds came while Bradley was on the floor.

“Tony Bradley was huge for us,” said Pacers guard Ty Halliburton. “He stepped up and fit right into our established unit. He’s a great teammate and brings so much to the team,” he added.