ECF Playoff Game Thread: Knicks @ Pacers, Game 4, May 27th 8pm

[Guano]

i'm closer to rob. i need to see them win tonight before i buy fully in again. they were mostly terrible last game in one they had to have. so we'll see what happens.

Must be nice to be rational. I was already doing the homer math when we went up in the 4th in game 3 on how if we win this then pull of game 4 were right back in this and now im sick. It really does pay not to care. Now im fully in and either this game is going to be the greatest or worst knicks game.

And to the point how we didnt even play that great - I agree and we won. Imagine if we get more than 1 good quarter from both Brunson and kat this game. We should roll them. Especially with Nesmith ankle looking like meLo's gut.

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I tend to agree and am notorious for bitching about refs. The Brunson blocking foul was bad and so was the phantom call on mikal late. That said I think we benefited from a few calls in the last game too. Either way...

We overcame the refs without our top 2 players having complete games. We can do it again. Especially if we get solid contributions from our role players like we have been getting all series.

[Knick4Real]

WE KNOW WHAT'S AT STAKE.
WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.



LET'S TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
LET'S GO KNICKS!!!

[sol537]

I feel very confident we’re going to tie this series tonight. Thibs accidentally found a chink in their armor. Outside of Pascal, They lack iso shot creators. Haliburton needs screens to create and the rest of guys just foul bait to create points. Thibs put his best defenders in the game in the 2nd half and Indy got clamped down. Knicks forced them to play a half court game. Key will be separating KAT and Brunson and surrounding each with 4 defenders.

I hope Thibs continues to give Shamet/Wright about 10-12 mins+ each so they can bring the energy and scrappiness which is infectious... and it allows Hart/OG/Mikal to finish the 4th quarter strong with those extra few minutes of rest they each can get.

[robillionaire]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

[sol537]

Must be nice to be rational. I was already doing the homer math when we went up in the 4th in game 3 on how if we win this then pull of game 4 were right back in this and now im sick. It really does pay not to care. Now im fully in and either this game is going to be the greatest or worst knicks game.

And to the point how we didnt even play that great - I agree and we won. Imagine if we get more than 1 good quarter from both Brunson and kat this game. We should roll them. Especially with Nesmith ankle looking like meLo's gut.

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I tend to agree and am notorious for bitching about refs. The Brunson blocking foul was bad and so was the phantom call on mikal late. That said I think we benefited from a few calls in the last game too. Either way...

We overcame the refs without our top 2 players having complete games. We can do it again. Especially if we get solid contributions from our role players like we have been getting all series.

Refs have been generally so so this series but the no call on the Brunson goal tend (game one) cost us that game and we should be 2-1 right now. The power of refs is real, man.

[Guano]

I’d mentally processed that the season was over in game 3 when we were down by 20 so I’m still playing with house money over here. Feeling pretty calm

Now if we actually win and it’s 2-2 I’m gonna be sweating game 5

Youre stronger than me.... I gave up after the game 2 loss then flipped a bitch and bought all the way in when we took the lead in the 4th quarter. Now im all the way in again and absolutely sick to my stomach and my heart hurts. I talk sht about how these guys aren't built for this and im sipping on pepto right now. I domt know if im going to make it to game time. And trying to make it through the game. Its gonna be hell.

Im the julius randle of knicks realgm forum - Im not built for knicks playoff basketball.

It's been an emotional roller coaster. Being down by 20 and coming back to win against the Celtics. Twice. The game 1 historical meltdown to the Pacers Now we have a chance to tie it up tonight. It's been a wild ride and it ain't over. I still take this considering where we been the last 20 years.

Hell yeah, this has been awesome. Truthfully i never thought we would be able to root for a true contender. And say whatever we eant about thibs or kat or our bench we can realistically have a chance to win a title with a win tonight.

Thats fcking crazy to think about as knicks fans. Im in.

Lets get this W!!!!!!!!

[sol537]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

It's not a personnel issue... it's a not going under the screen every time and not treating him like Josh Hart issue... make him take long 2's or 3's all day long.

For some reason, we're letting him pick us apart.

[Guano]

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I tend to agree and am notorious for bitching about refs. The Brunson blocking foul was bad and so was the phantom call on mikal late. That said I think we benefited from a few calls in the last game too. Either way...

We overcame the refs without our top 2 players having complete games. We can do it again. Especially if we get solid contributions from our role players like we have been getting all series.

Refs have been generally so so this series but the no call on the Brunson goal tend (game one) cost us that game and we should be 2-1 right now. The power of refs is real, man.

Youre 100 right... i lost some sleep over that no call and im in here defending the refs.

[Madskillzz024]

Assuming Nesmith plays, gotta figure he won’t be close to 100% which is good news for us

[robillionaire]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

It's not a personnel issue... it's a not going under the screen every time and not treating him like Josh Hart issue... make him take long 2's or 3's all day long.

For some reason, we're letting him pick us apart.

That’s a good strategy but even when he’s not beating us off the dribble he just bodies us with no resistance

[Guano]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

[kNicksGmen]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

bridges guards him well from what I've seen but he's not exclusively on him due to different rotation timing and matchups.

but specifically he's the only one that sags off him and guards him smart. everyone else plays up on him way too much. bridges even lets him drive by him and is just ready to block from behind since he has that slow pull up you can catch up to.

[rajajackal]

I wish we had anybody on the team capable of checking McConnell, which is insane to type out but that’s how it’s been 2 years in a row now

he's shown he's scared of mitch. so have mitch guard the paint and shut off his passing lanes i guess

[Jalen Bluntson]

i'm closer to rob. i need to see them win tonight before i buy fully in again. they were mostly terrible last game in one they had to have. so we'll see what happens.

Must be nice to be rational. I was already doing the homer math when we went up in the 4th in game 3 on how if we win this then pull of game 4 were right back in this and now im sick. It really does pay not to care. Now im fully in and either this game is going to be the greatest or worst knicks game.

And to the point how we didnt even play that great - I agree and we won. Imagine if we get more than 1 good quarter from both Brunson and kat this game. We should roll them. Especially with Nesmith ankle looking like meLo's gut.

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I can't imagine the league wanting IND vs OKC/MIN in the finals. The refs have been terrible all year. This new incidental contact judgement call has been worse than the regular phantom superstar whistle. They never call it the same consistently.

[robillionaire]

Youre stronger than me.... I gave up after the game 2 loss then flipped a bitch and bought all the way in when we took the lead in the 4th quarter. Now im all the way in again and absolutely sick to my stomach and my heart hurts. I talk sht about how these guys aren't built for this and im sipping on pepto right now. I domt know if im going to make it to game time. And trying to make it through the game. Its gonna be hell.

Im the julius randle of knicks realgm forum - Im not built for knicks playoff basketball.

It's been an emotional roller coaster. Being down by 20 and coming back to win against the Celtics. Twice. The game 1 historical meltdown to the Pacers Now we have a chance to tie it up tonight. It's been a wild ride and it ain't over. I still take this considering where we been the last 20 years.

Hell yeah, this has been awesome. Truthfully i never thought we would be able to root for a true contender. And say whatever we eant about thibs or kat or our bench we can realistically have a chance to win a title with a win tonight.

Thats fcking crazy to think about as knicks fans. Im in.

Lets get this W!!!!!!!!

It’s damn near June. Damn near summer league. And we are still watching basketball. This is what it’s like to be a fan of a good team. I had grown accustomed to the season being over by Christmas or at least by January for years

[robillionaire]

Must be nice to be rational. I was already doing the homer math when we went up in the 4th in game 3 on how if we win this then pull of game 4 were right back in this and now im sick. It really does pay not to care. Now im fully in and either this game is going to be the greatest or worst knicks game.

And to the point how we didnt even play that great - I agree and we won. Imagine if we get more than 1 good quarter from both Brunson and kat this game. We should roll them. Especially with Nesmith ankle looking like meLo's gut.

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I can't imagine the league wanting IND vs OKC/MIN in the finals. The refs have been terrible all year. This new incidental contact judgement call has been worse than the regular phantom superstar whistle. They never call it the same consistently.

It just gives them more power and control over the game. If they want it to be a foul it can be a foul. If they want to say it’s incidental it’s incidental. There’s no objective rhyme or reason to it and it lets them have too much influence on the outcome. And gambling is constantly advertised to the watcher

[LFGK]

Kinda wish my knicks fandom could live in the day after a knicks playoff win cause the stress i have right now is probably wrecking my heart like meLo's horrible diet

I’d mentally processed that the season was over in game 3 when we were down by 20 so I’m still playing with house money over here. Feeling pretty calm

Now if we actually win and it’s 2-2 I’m gonna be sweating game 5

if its 2-2 tonight and we will steamroll them Thursday night.

[LFGK]

OG talking trash has to be the most sophisticated conversation ever.

I beg to differ pertaining to the trajectory of your shot. Allow me if I may to alter its path. Good day to you sir and GTFO.

I feel like he’s more concise than that.

“I don’t like the direction your shot is going so I will be altering it”

fixed

[Guano]

It's been an emotional roller coaster. Being down by 20 and coming back to win against the Celtics. Twice. The game 1 historical meltdown to the Pacers Now we have a chance to tie it up tonight. It's been a wild ride and it ain't over. I still take this considering where we been the last 20 years.

Hell yeah, this has been awesome. Truthfully i never thought we would be able to root for a true contender. And say whatever we eant about thibs or kat or our bench we can realistically have a chance to win a title with a win tonight.

Thats fcking crazy to think about as knicks fans. Im in.

Lets get this W!!!!!!!!

It’s damn near June. Damn near summer league. And we are still watching basketball. This is what it’s like to be a fan of a good team. I had grown accustomed to the season being over by Christmas or at least by January for years

Ive been accustomed to never having hope we would be contenders. I was a cynical starphucking team tank fan.

Being 7 wins away from a championship is truly insane for us.

[Jalen Bluntson]

I’m still concerned about the refs. I don’t feel like game 3 was called fairly even though we won it. I don’t feel like any of the 50/50 type calls have gone our way in the series. Maybe the powers that be don’t want us there. Or maybe they’ll cut us slack in this one.

I can't imagine the league wanting IND vs OKC/MIN in the finals. The refs have been terrible all year. This new incidental contact judgement call has been worse than the regular phantom superstar whistle. They never call it the same consistently.

It just gives them more power and control over the game. If they want it to be a foul it can be a foul. If they want to say it’s incidental it’s incidental. There’s no objective rhyme or reason to it and it lets them have too much influence on the outcome. And gambling is constantly advertised to the watcher

Yeah. This full marriage between the leagues the networks and the gambling industry is really concerning. They can absolutely point shave and mess with outcomes at any time.

I still didn't see why they would want IND over NYK in the finals. 3 of the smallest markets in the league are in the conference finals right now. This is probably the worst case scenario financially.