Knicks vs. Pacers: Three takeaways from Eastern Conference Finals Game 1
1. Was it exhaustion or just bad defense?
The Knicks held a 14-point lead with 2:51 to play after a Jalen Brunson three-pointer. But they gave up five three-point field goals to the Pacers in a span of 2:17 — four of them by Aaron Nesmith. Some of the Pacers talked about the Knicks wearing down at the end under the relentless pace that Indiana plays at. But the Knicks had a simpler explanation — just bad defense.
“Good teams, when they have a hot shooter, they find him,” Brunson said. “We gave open shots to him. … Once he hits one I’ve got to do a better job of finding him. He got one or two that started it off. It’s not the way to close the game.”
“Your defense, you got to be able to count on your defense,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We missed some free throws. We got to make sure we have an awareness as to what’s going on.”
While the Knicks will point — deservedly — to the late-game collapse, the defense wasn’t exactly on point at the start either. Indiana converted their first nine field goal attempts and 14 of 19 in the first quarter.
2. They should be familiar with comebacks, just from the other side
The Knicks came back from 20-point deficits in Game 1 and again in Game 2 against Boston in the last round, as well as a 14-point comeback in Game 4 in that series. So they understand that comebacks — or collapses — can happen. But that didn’t make it any easier to take when you’re on the other side of it.
“We didn't finish the game out,” Josh Hart said. “We didn’t run through that finish line. I feel like defensively we let off the gas, intensity and physically weren’t there, offensively we were playing slower, a little stagnant, and looked like we were playing not to lose. We got to make sure we don’t make that mistake again. Obviously it's a tough one, we’re all disappointed in it, but the series is not over after one game.”
“In the playoffs when you win it’s the best thing ever,” Brunson said. “When you lose it’s the worst thing ever. So the best way to deal with all that is just stay levelheaded, make sure we have each other’s backs. Obviously not the way we want to finish the game. Like he said, tomorrow we watch film, get better, and make sure we’re ready for Game 2.”
3. Is the choke sign a jinx?
When Reggie Miller directed his choke sign, wrapping his hands around his throat in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks lost that game but came back to win the series. Is that a sign for Tyrese Haliburton’s mimicking of the gesture at the end of regulation when he tried it, believing he’d won the game with a three, but the shot was ruled a two and sent the game to overtime. It didn’t jinx the Pacers in overtime, but for the series?
"I'm not getting into any of that stuff,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It doesn't make any sense. This fan base is difficult enough to deal with without getting into any unnecessary words.
“Players can do what they want. It's an emotional thing. It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal. We got to go out there. The place is unlikely to be any louder than it was tonight. It was crazy out there. The environment, it never disappoints here . . . Tyrese has earned the right to do whatever he wants.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
