Knicks feel ready to combat Pacers’ potential series-altering advantage

Stylistically, nan Knicks and Pacers correspond almost polar opposites. And nan Pacers marque of hoops has been wearing teams down for months. 

They are 1 of nan fastest teams successful nan league, perpetually looking to push nan shot successful transition. Defensively, they often prime up opponents full-court. 

After eliminating nan No. 1 seed Cavaliers successful 5 games past round, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson admitted he had “mad respect” for really nan Pacers play and really overmuch problem it gave his side. 

“It’s for illustration a assemblage team, I opportunity that successful a really bully way,” Atkinson said. “They property for 48 minutes and they tally faster than anybody successful nan league. … And to their credit, they’ve recruited to that style of play. They surrounded their champion subordinate pinch that.” 

In nan regular season, nan Pacers averaged 100.8 possessions per 48 minutes (seventh astir successful nan NBA). The Knicks averaged 97.08 (fourth fewest). In nan playoffs, nan Pacers are averaging 99.3, while nan Knicks are astatine 95.3. 

Tyrese Haliburton thrives successful modulation pinch his expertise to get to nan rim and find unfastened teammates connected accelerated breaks. 

“We person to effort to beryllium physical, get to nan ball, get them retired of hit and lastly pass truthful they don’t person unfastened shots,” Josh Hart, who is often nan 1 pushing nan Knicks to play faster, said aft believe connected Monday. “It’s going to beryllium a immense protect bid for us. I deliberation we’re tin of it.

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“We’re communicating astatine a higher level. I deliberation nan past 2 games of nan Boston bid without [Jayson] Tatum, they were moving nan shot a small spot faster, they were moving quicker. It forced america to pass astatine a precocious level. I deliberation that’s thing that tin thief america going into this bid pinch Indiana.” 

The Pacers are capable to prolong that relentless power by utilizing a heavy bench.

Coach Rick Carlisle plays a nine- and 10-man rotation, and cipher has averaged much than Haliburton’s 34.1 minutes per crippled this postseason.

Every Knicks starter has averaged more, and coach Tom Thibodeau has whittled his rotation down to 7 players astir nights. 

“I deliberation you look astatine what nan strengths of your squad are and you build your strategy astir that,” Thibodeau said Monday. “Haliburton has definite strengths. I deliberation if you place nan type of subordinate that [Andrew] Nembhard is, you are making a mistake. And then, you build your strategy astir that. … The characteristic [is] their expertise to push nan shot and skilled bigs.”

If nan Knicks can’t antagonistic that strategy and uniqueness, Thibodeau will extremity up sounding for illustration Atkinson by nan extremity of nan series.