The New York Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers after Josh Hart was hobbled by an abdominal injury. The loss paves the way for game seven at the Garden.
The New York Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers 116-103, paving the way for a decisive game seven at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks failed to keep up with an angry and desperate Pacers side. Worst of all, Josh Hart left the game with an abdominal injury, leaving New York without its energizer.
The Knicks kept up with Indiana through the first quarter. Both teams set a frantic pace, battling for rebounds and paint supremacy. But New York wavered after Hart began favoring his side. Indiana closed the half on a big run that only subsided thanks to a three-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo at the very end of the quarter.
The second half only looks close because of a run by New York in garbage time. While the Knicks continued competing, the Pacers steadily built on their lead. Jalen Brunson’s offense kicked into gear, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with Indiana’s scoring. Tom Thibodeau threw in the towel with three minutes left in the action.
The Knicks will face Indiana in a do-or-die game tomorrow, and they have adjustments to make. Let’s examine the players’ performances for hints at adjustments after this disappointing loss.
The Knicks’ starters struggle to get in sync
Jalen Brunson: 31 PTS (11/26 FG, 3/8 3PT, 6/9 FT), 5 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 38 mins
Jalen Brunson knocked down his first two shots before going ice cold for the first half. He shot 2/13 in the half, and the Knicks’ momentum slipped as Brunson mishandled several consecutive possessions in the second quarter. The Knicks’ star struggled to get space, facing full-court pressure and ball denial. But Brunson missed even the easy looks, including three of his first four free-throw attempts.
Brunson came to life in the second half, pouring on 14 points in the third quarter alone. The scorer picked on defenders who oversold screens. But New York’s offense relied too heavily on the diminutive guard, as it felt like no one else could score save for a couple of jumpers by Deuce McBride.
Brunson struggled with the Pacers’ defense early. Even when he got his offense going, Brunson’s decision-making felt delayed. He didn’t pass well enough to compensate for his poor shooting night. The Knicks’ MVP receives a 2 out of 5 for getting his shot going but not driving the ball movement.
Miles McBride: 20 PTS (8/12 FG, 4/6 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 35 mins
This game could have been a blowout sooner if not for Miles McBride’s excellent first half. Deuce hit jumper after jumper as the Pacers leaned too far in Brunson’s direction. McBride didn’t just hurt Indiana off the catch-and-shoot, though. He attacked Haliburton with a pull-up jumper and finished some transition opportunities.
McBride’s defense failed to match its Game 5 intensity. Tyrese Haliburton attacked Deuce more effectively. The Knicks’ defender also got caught up in tough cross matches when New York was forced into switches in transitions and against screens.
McBride gave the Knicks a pulse in the first half. Deuce worked hard on defense despite failing to match his impact from prior efforts. He still picked New York up through effort and shooting. McBride gets a 3 out of 5 for his effort.
Donte DiVincenzo: 17 PTS (6/14 FG, 3/8 3PT, 2/3 FT), 2 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK in 39 mins
After a pair of poor-shooting games, Donte DiVincenzo got back on track. He knocked down his threes at a good clip and made plays inside the arc. I wished DiVo would attack more during Brunson’s cold first half.
DiVincenzo continued to play impactful defense, making plays when Indiana made its pushes. He’d poke a steal free or swing over to help defend at the rim at the most timely moment. But the Pacers did well in containing the Big Ragu’s tertiary playmaking and rebounding.
I’ll categorize this performance as heating up rather than on fire. DiVo shot well and scored double-digits for the first time in three games. But Knicks fans know that there’s another gear he can find. DiVincenzo gets a 2.5 out of 5 for a good but not great performance.
Josh Hart: 5 PTS (2/6 FG, 1/4 3PT), 3 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 31 mins
Josh Hart started strong, grabbing boards and battling with Pascal Siakam on defense. The energizer scrambled for loose balls, dove to make plays, and scrapped up until he began grabbing the left side of his stomach.
Hart began favoring his side, and the injury was apparent. The wing struggled to move laterally, giving up basket after basket to his matchups, particularly Siakam. The constant worker even asked out of the game twice.
Hart couldn’t finish the game due to his injury. He had a positive impact right until the moment he came up hobbled. While Hart tried to play through the injury, he struggled after and earned a 2 out of 5 for battling through injury.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 33 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein put together another impressive passing performance, but the rest of his production dipped. The Pacers kept Hartenstein off the boards with constant box-outs and gang rebounding. They also negated his scoring inside, as Hartenstein barely attempted shots, let alone scored.
I credit Indiana’s defense for taking away some of Hartenstein’s options. But he made things easy by always looking for the pass. I-Hart needs to attack more. That means periodically diving to the rim instead of cutting to the top of the key and finding spots to use his floater or even post-up.
Big Hart wasn’t bad, but I want to see more aggression from him. The Pacers have done well to contain him in three of the six games, and New York has lost all three. Hartenstein gets a 2 out of 5 for good passing but light production elsewhere.
New York’s second unit loses its edge
Alec Burks: 11 PTS (2/8 FG, 1/5 3PT, 6/7 FT), 1 AST, 3 REB in 25 mins
Alec Burks finally cooled off, though he still wasn’t bad. Indiana kept players closer to Burks, which forced him to take more contested looks. The microwave scorer couldn’t shake free and shot poorly from the field.
But Burks cleverly got to the line repeatedly. He’s one of the only Knicks to shoot well from the charity stripe. The shooter also grabbed a couple of tough contested boards.
Burks provided some punch and gravity off the bench. But the Knicks could use a better performance from him in the next one. The scorer nabs a 1.5 out of 5.
Precision Achiuwa: 12 PTS (5/8 FG, 0/1 3PT, 2/5 FT), 8 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK in 26 mins
Precious Achiuwa gave New York good minutes. He led the team in rebounding after Josh Hart’s ab injury and provided some of the energy Hart could not provide. Precious got into the lanes for putbacks, using his mobility to get to spots before Indiana could displace him.
Achiuwa’s mobility also helped defensively. TJ McConnell has a more challenging time breaking free when Precious is hedging or helping. My only complaint is that Precious defended jump shots poorly, but Hartenstein has been no better in that category.
I’d contend that Precious was the stronger interior presence of the Knicks’ big men in this game. He grabbed more boards, scored more inside, and had more Stocks. If Hartenstein struggles again in game seven, Precious should get more opportunities. Achiuwa earns a 3 out of 5 for giving New York a much-needed paint presence.
Tom Thibodeau’s job just got even trickier
Tom Thibodeau and Rick Carlisle have played chess with their adjustments throughout this series. However, Thibodeau could be in trouble if Josh Hart is hindered by injury. The Knicks already lost OG Anunoby, and without Hart, they don’t have a defender for Pascal Siakam.
Thibodeau has made this roster work despite numerous injuries throughout the season. But he’s not a miracle worker, and the Knicks can’t defend Indiana’s high-powered offense if they lose another critical wing defender.
Closing Thoughts:
A Game Seven at MSG feels perfect for this season. It wouldn’t be the Knicks without coming down to the wire. The Knicks have fought every step of the way, meeting challenge after challenge for months.
But Josh Hart’s injury scares me. It feels like the Knicks are running out of fuel. They’ve overcome every challenge, but the version of New York we’re watching is a shadow of the team that dominated January.
Bob Myers said if the Knicks lose this series, it will be because of health. Michael Wilson said if the Knicks were healthy, he’d take them over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. But New York’s not healthy, and it has gotten progressively worse.
Whether game seven introduces a new high point for the season or a difficult end, New York has proven to be full of fighters. They won’t back down, and that’s why we appreciate them. They’re a team we can be proud of, so we’ll show up regardless of who’s left to play. We know the Knicks won’t back down.
I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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