The New York Knicks defeat the Indiana Pacers 121-117. Jalen Brunson and the Nova Boys led New York to a thrilling clutch victory to take Game 1.
The New York Knicks battled until the final buzzer, stealing a game-one victory from the Indiana Pacers 121-117. Jalen Brunson made the difference, dropping 21 points in the fourth quarter en route to his fourth straight 40-point performance.
The Knicks got off to a fast start but lost momentum as soon as Indiana’s bench entered the game. The Pacers’ bench outscored New York 46-3 on the night. That left Tom Thibodeau leaning on his starters, and the Villanova gang showed up in a big way. Jalen Brunson made basket after basket, while Josh Hart chased down every loose ball, and Donte DiVincenzo hit his fifth and final three-pointer to go ahead with 40 seconds left in the action.
The Knicks have plenty of mistakes to clean up before the next game, but they took care of business in the clutch. Let’s look at the rest of the individual performances.
The Knicks’ starters get a big night from the Nova trio
Jalen Brunson: 43 PTS (14/26 FG, 1/4 3PT, 14/14 FT), 6 AST, 6 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 43 mins
We are witnessing a historic playoff run from Jalen Brunson. He carried his success from the Philadelphia series into the second round. Brunson torched defenders, using Aaron Nesmith’s physicality to draw fouls and overwhelming any defenders smaller than the Pacers SF. Brunson did nearly all of his damage in or around the paint, bumping his opponent for space and firing away.
JB’s playmaking looked on point. He didn’t match the double-digit pace of recent outings, but that’s at least partially due to the Pacers staying at home on shooters. Brunson’s turnovers came when he jumped with intentions to pass, expecting a help defender that never showed. That’s also why Brunson often found himself free to abuse defenders one-on-one from his favorite spaces on the floor.
I try to be strict about my scoring, demanding that players go above and beyond for anything close to a perfect score. But Brunson has broken the impact meter. He didn’t just pour in his fourth straight 40-point game but did it on 14 of 26 from the field in a game that came down to the final few possessions. New York’s MVP gets a perfect 5 out of 5 again because we’re witnessing historic greatness at this point.
Donte DiVincenzo: 25 PTS (10/17 FG, 5/9 3PT), 1 AST, 3 REB, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 43 mins
Donte DiVincenzo started the game off cold. As I mentioned, Indiana’s defenders stayed at home on shooters, which meant DiVincenzo had less space to work with and fewer catch-and-shoot opportunities. In addition, Indy’s ball denial forced New York’s ball-handlers to receive the ball later in the shot clock and often off-balance.
But Indiana’s ball denial also left room for hard cuts and quick action toward the basket. DiVincenzo capitalized on defenders guarding him tightly at the perimeter by making hard cuts and drives toward the rim, catching defenders on their heels and unable to challenge his attempts inside. Once defenders stepped away to deny DiVo’s slashing, they left him open to shoot from long range.
With 40 seconds left in regulation, DiVincenzo sealed the game with a deep three-pointer. It was the culmination of a dominant second half from the Knicks’ sharpshooter. To top it off, his defense looked as strong as ever, completing a fantastic performance. Donte gets a 4 out of 5 for his second-half spark.
Josh Hart: 24 PTS (9/13 FG, 1/1 3PT, 5/8 FT), 8 AST, 13 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 5 TO in 48 mins
Josh Hart flirted with a triple-double thanks to his breakneck pace that never let up. Hart grabbed more than twice as many boards as Indiana’s top rebounders. He seemed to track down every loose ball, and even wrestled the ball away from Myles Turner for extra possessions.
The Pacers’ transition pace played into Hart’s strengths. He consistently attacked transition opportunities, finishing through defenders. When the Pacers managed to get in front of Hart, he picked out trailers and shooters for open looks and easy dimes.
Hart is changing games through force of will. He overpowers bigger players, outruns faster guys, and outworks everybody. He barely missed a triple-double in this game and would join Brunson with a perfect score if not for his five turnovers. Hart gets a 4.5 out of 5 for giving the Knicks a boost in every category.
OG Anunoby: 13 PTS (5/14 FG, 3/7 3PT), 4 AST, 9 REB, 3 STL, 2 TO in 42 mins
OG Anunoby took time to get going, but he picked things up as the game wore on. Watching Anunoby duel with Pascal Siakam was a treat. They forced each other into tough shots for most of the action, with Siakam knocking down difficult jumpers and OG capitalizing on the few occasions he got space to shoot from deep.
Anunoby’s duel with Siakam is secondary to his work as a help defender and rebounder. OG picked up two of his three steals in the fourth quarter, sparking a pair of easy baskets as crunch time approached. He also capitalized on the Pacers’ focus on boxing out centers, as Anunoby grabbed more rebounds than expected.
While Anunoby clocked four assists, his passing didn’t stand out as much as I’d expect from a four-assist effort. His best work came attacking off the dribble from the top of the key or firing off shots when open along the baseline. He contained Pascal Siakam while matching most of his former teammates’ production and surpassing it in places. OG gets a 3.5 out of 5 for a strong effort in a tough battle.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 13 PTS (5/9 FG, 1/1 3PT, 2/2 FT), 4 AST, 6 REB, 1 TO in 36 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein didn’t look as comfortable offensively as he had against a hobbled Joel Embiid. That’s not to say he played poorly, as I-Hart pumped in 13 points with the signature floater and some dunks mixed into his offense. But Hartenstein also lucked into three points off a full-court heave to end halftime.
Hartenstein’s passing popped, thanks to Indiana’s attempts at ball denial. East Coast Jokic took the ball from the top of the key and continually picked out wing cutters on quick dives to the basket. I-Hart’s passing helped Donte heat up, Hart gain momentum, and Brunson pick up a few easier looks.
The Knicks’ defensive scheme plays into the hands of stretch bigs. So, I won’t hit Hartenstein too hard on defense. But Indiana capitalized on his drop coverage often enough that I hope Thibodeau makes adjustments. For now, I’m focused on the positives for Hartenstein, who gets a 3 out of 5 for a valiant effort.
New York’s second unit must do more
Miles McBride: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 AST in 10 mins
Deuce McBride always seems to have trouble guarding TJ McConnell. McConnell torched everyone on the Knicks, but it especially hurt McBride, who couldn’t answer with points of his own. Deuce barely registered a blip offensively, while his opponent off the bench dropped 18 points.
McBride has to slow McConnell down to earn more minutes and, hopefully, find his rhythm in the process.
Precious Achiuwa: 1 PTS (0/0 FG, 1/2 FT), 1 REB in 4 mins
Precious Achiuwa entered the second quarter but didn’t even reach five minutes before Tom Thibodeau changed his mind. Achiuwa didn’t get enough time for me to critique his performance beyond saying, “You’ve gotta hit your free throws.”
Mitchell Robinson: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 2 REB in 12 mins
Mitchell Robinson had trouble keeping up with Isaiah Jackson and Indiana’s smaller bench unit. But by the second half, he began to impose his will and manufacture extra opportunities through sheer force of strength. But Mitch limped away from a rebound late and didn’t stay on the floor much after that.
I suspect that Mitch can be a game-changing presence. But that’s only if he’s healthy enough to move around comfortably and take advantage of his size advantage.
Tom Thibodeau has adjustments to make
I doubt Tom Thibodeau is happy with New York’s performance. He’ll take the win, but I don’t imagine him smiling after his team gave up 117 points. The Knicks played into the Pacers’ style too often, failing to impose their will or force the scrapping battles that marked New York’s first-round series.
But even with Thibodeau rewatching the film for places to adjust, his coaching impact was proven at the end of regulation. Rick Carlisle lost his cool and wasted a timeout on a losing challenge, while Thibodeau used his challenge to gain one extra possession. The teams reflected their coaches, with the Pacers picking up an offensive foul followed by an off-ball foul that led to a free point, while the Knicks executed down the stretch.
Good coaching wins games, and Thibodeau was the better coach, though Carlisle is unquestionably a good coach in his own right.
Closing Thoughts:
One reason I love playoff basketball is how quickly the challenges change. The Knicks just spent six games battling a sharpshooting point guard, an unstoppable big man, and a grinding pace. Then the Pacers arrived with a pass-first star guard, a shooting big man, and the fastest pace in the league.
Throughout the regular season, we see many iterations of these team identities. But the playoffs narrow the challengers down to the best versions of each approach. The Knicks went from old-fashioned scraps in the middle to a constant chase in the open court.
New York’s identity shines because of the ever-morphing challenges it faces. It welcomes physicality and embraces the track meet. The Knicks outwork their opponents, no matter their style or identity. They’re in everyone’s face, wearing them down until the final bell.
I just wish the margins for error weren’t so tight, but that’s another mark of the postseason.
New York plays again Wednesday night, and it’s a home game with the chance to put Indiana in a deep hole. Indiana will have frustration from the first game and desperation to even the series in their minds, but I suspect the Knicks will be even better. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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