Pacers working to be their best against Knicks in the Garden

The Pacers begin the Eastern Conference Finals on the road where they have fared well so far in the postseason.

The Pacers are in NYC awaiting their Game 1 tip time at Madison Square Garden where they will face the Knicks once, again in a high profile postseason matchup.

The Pacers are 4-1 on the road through two rounds of the playoffs this year, so starting on the ECF on the road won’t be unfamiliar territory, although the circumstances will be vastly different. Advancing in the playoffs heightens the stakes of every game with a trip to the NBA Finals hanging in the balance.

Over the past couple of months, I’m often asked how far I think the Pacers can go this year. My go to answer is, when they are playing their best, they can beat any team in the league. Midway through the year, it seemed like the Pacers were a notch below the Celtics, Cavs and Knicks in the East. The Pacers playing at their best with any of those teams doing likewise and it would still be be a problem.

However, the Pacers’ best has developed and improved over the past five months, to the point where they have enough for any team when they play at their best, with an improved defense and an impressive offensive attack that makes sharing the ball and spreading the scoring wealth a religious experience on some nights.

Still, the Pacers best will be put to the test at MSG against an equally improved Knicks team. While the Jalen Brunson-centric offensive approach is not as aesthetically pleasing as the Pacers mass pass attack, it is certainly effective. Brunson gave the Pacers all they could handle last season, but his running mates have changed with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns adding talent at both ends of the floor compared to last year.

While Bridges and KAT are a talent improvement over Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein for the long haul, the two new guys will have to play quite well to match the impact DiVincenzo and Hartenstein had on the series last year. DiVincenzo hit huge shots, played maniacal defense all over the floor and stirred up all kinds of shit in all the best ways. Hartenstein was simply a menace in the paint and on the glass, almost single handedly giving the Knicks a possession advantage, particularly in their wins.

So, yes, the Knicks have a much better overall 7-man rotation with Bridges and KAT in the mix, but they too will need to be at their best to help Brunson. Which brings us back to the Pacers being at their best. Defensively, that starts with focusing on Brunson and KAT. Both are capable of carrying the Knicks to a win on their own, but in combo they present the biggest threat to the Pacers.

Expect the Pacers to try to use the heavy workload both Knicks have to carry against them. Brunson needs 94 feet worth of attention on his offensive possession. On defense, he needs to be targeted early and often. Assuming Brunson continues playing 39 minutes per game, the Pacers have to work on wearing him out from the opening tip.

The risk of making Brunson work both ways all over the court is that he is elite in drawing defenders off balance and then digging in for a foul. Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard can’t have any cheap, unnecessary fouls. Stay solid, stay on the ground, make Brunson work and live with the results.

Same process with KAT which will require the Pacers get some stops and push the pace. They have to make KAT run hard both ways and take advantage when he doesn’t. Thomas Bryant was effective in Game 5 against Cleveland in large part because he was willing to sprint both ways. It’s annoying and tiring for opponents. Any easy possessions for KAT will create problems for the Pacers.

Of course, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam have to be a threat offensively. While the Knicks may load up on Haliburton with Bridges, they have to find ways to get ‘Rese the ball and let him create. Siakam will likely have a familiar matchup with OG Anunoby and after a week to recharge the battery, Siakam needs to attack offensively. If both can score around 20 points, the Pacers will be in it to win it every night.

Both players, along with the rest of the team have to minimize the turnovers, as well. The Pacers are nowhere near their best with turnover numbers hovering closer to 20 than 10. Rebounding will always be an issue for the Pacers, so turnovers just create too big a deficit in the possession game that the Pacers have to win or at least keep close.

Finally, the Pacers bench has to be an advantage in the battle to control the pace and force the Knicks to run both ways. TJ McConnell has been great at home, but was unplayable at Cleveland in Game 5. So he needs to take those home vibes into the Garden and make ‘em groan in exasperation. Bennedict Mathurin needs to remind folks that he wasn’t available last year and can make a big difference. Benn needs to play hard, play tough and keep the focus on basketball.

After a week off, no doubt the Pacers are dying to get back on the court. Rick Carlisle in particular will be happy play a game instead of answering questions about the matchup and lauding the Knicks coaches, players and approach. As they did against the Cavs, the Pacers have to find a way to beat the Knicks four times.

With plenty of time off to prep, the Pacers should have plans A, B and C ready to roll in their effort to find a way to win. Now it is up to the players to bring the requisite effort, energy and execution to be at their best when the lights are brightest in the Garden.

Game 1: Pacers vs. Knicks

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

When: Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 8:00 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers +4.5

Projected Starters

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns

Injuries

Pacers: Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out

Knicks: None