2025 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: #3 New York Knicks vs #4 Indiana Pacers (IND leads 1-0)

[ArksNetsSince99]

My only question for the Pacers fans in here…

Who’s better? Pacers or Celtics?

It depends , some people likes Jessica Alba some prefer Jenna Haze

[Nuntius]

I watched most their playoff games this season, while he's been clutch, will be very different taking a shot like that down the stretch with OG or Bridges on him with Mitch rite behind them rather then that Scrub Ty Jerome, Knicks have wings and a block threat in the middle the pacers haven't seen yet.

I definitely agree that the Knicks have much better wing defenders than the ones we've faced so far. That's a given.

But the Knicks haven't faced an offense that moves the ball as much as we do either. It will be a change of pace for both teams which is what makes it so interesting.

Whipping the ball around, ok but I also don't think the Pacer offense is better then the Celtics and outside the one game Tatum was unconscious OG held the guy in front of him to 22% from the field, Bridges was pretty ridiculous as well. Would be nice if it was a good series, I truly don't see it, I think the Knicks are a nightmare matchup for the pacers

It's not about which offense is better. It's about how these offenses attack and whether the way they attack is a good match-up for a team or not.

The Celtics love to isolate, especially the Jays. They averaged 14 isolations per game in this year's playoffs. The Knicks have excellent perimeter defenders so isolation basketball isn't going to work well against them. And it didn't work well at all. In fact, it arguably cost them games 1 and 2.

On the other hand, we only average 8.5 isolations per game in the playoffs (and even less during the RS). We aren't going to bail out New York's defense by going 1-on-1. We're going to force you into rotations.

[LFGK]

I definitely agree that the Knicks have much better wing defenders than the ones we've faced so far. That's a given.

But the Knicks haven't faced an offense that moves the ball as much as we do either. It will be a change of pace for both teams which is what makes it so interesting.

Whipping the ball around, ok but I also don't think the Pacer offense is better then the Celtics and outside the one game Tatum was unconscious OG held the guy in front of him to 22% from the field, Bridges was pretty ridiculous as well. Would be nice if it was a good series, I truly don't see it, I think the Knicks are a nightmare matchup for the pacers

It's not about which offense is better. It's about how these offenses attack and whether the way they attack is a good match-up for a team or not.

The Celtics love to isolate, especially the Jays. They averaged 14 isolations per game in this year's playoffs. The Knicks have excellent perimeter defenders so isolation basketball isn't going to work well against them. And it didn't work well at all. In fact, it arguably cost them games 1 and 2.

On the other hand, we only average 8.5 isolations per game in the playoffs (and even less during the RS). We aren't going to bail out New York's defense by going 1-on-1. We're going to force you into rotations.

Ok we will see how the best offense the NBA has ever seen does against the Knicks

[Capn'O]

While many here are peddling in speculation, I peddle in facts.

Fact: Benedict Mathurin sounds like the name of a guy who died in 1862. Did he die of pertussis or maybe in the Civil War? He was not notable enough to say.

[Nuntius]

Whipping the ball around, ok but I also don't think the Pacer offense is better then the Celtics and outside the one game Tatum was unconscious OG held the guy in front of him to 22% from the field, Bridges was pretty ridiculous as well. Would be nice if it was a good series, I truly don't see it, I think the Knicks are a nightmare matchup for the pacers

It's not about which offense is better. It's about how these offenses attack and whether the way they attack is a good match-up for a team or not.

The Celtics love to isolate, especially the Jays. They averaged 14 isolations per game in this year's playoffs. The Knicks have excellent perimeter defenders so isolation basketball isn't going to work well against them. And it didn't work well at all. In fact, it arguably cost them games 1 and 2.

On the other hand, we only average 8.5 isolations per game in the playoffs (and even less during the RS). We aren't going to bail out New York's defense by going 1-on-1. We're going to force you into rotations.

Ok we will see how the best offense the NBA has ever seen does against the Knicks

Didn't say that we were the best offense the NBA has ever seen. We aren't. But we definitely do things our own way which gives us some advantages

[Capn'O]

Fact: Tyrese Haliburton may not be able to finish the series due to ongoing embezzlement investigations stemming from the Enron scandal.

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C. Fact: The Ferengi called and they don't want Reggie Miller back.

[Nuntius]

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C.

Nope. Rik is a Dutch name, the short form of names like Hendrik and Frederik and neither of these names is spelled with a C in Dutch.

This fact is wrong

[NiceLikeChrist]

still too much focus on the pacers offense when the defense should be the talking point

giving up 114 to a cavs team shooting 43/29/79 is godawful. and yea the pacers shot 50/42/78 yet only put up 117 ppg through the series. so Cleveland played like garbage, you guys played very well, yet it was 114 ppg against 117 ppg.

I guess they are just hoping the knicks miss every single wide open shot the way the cavs were

[Capn'O]

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C.

Nope. Rik is a Dutch name, the short form of names like Hendrik and Frederik and neither of these names is spelled with a C in Dutch.

This fact is wrong

Fact: Despite his height and being nicknamed "The Dunkin' Dutchman, Rik Smits only averaged a dunk every five games. 2.5x less frequent than Patrick Ewing 10x less frequent than Shaq. "The Soft, Jumpshootin' Dutchman" would have been more appropriate.

[Nuntius]

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C.

Nope. Rik is a Dutch name, the short form of names like Hendrik and Frederik and neither of these names is spelled with a C in Dutch.

This fact is wrong

Fact: Despite his height and being nicknamed "The Dunkin' Dutchman, Rik Smits only averaged a dunk every five games. 2.5x less frequent than Patrick Ewing 10x less frequent than Shaq. "The Soft, Jumpshootin' Dutchman" would have been more appropriate.

The Dutch do not really play basketball. It was sort of a given that any Dutch player that actually opted for basketball would be called dunkin'.

[Nuntius]

still too much focus on the pacers offense when the defense should be the talking point

giving up 114 to a cavs team shooting 43/29/79 is godawful. and yea the pacers shot 50/42/78 yet only put up 117 ppg through the series. so Cleveland played like garbage, you guys played very well, yet it was 114 ppg against 117 ppg.

You kinda forgot to adjust for pace here.

Here are the team Defensive Ratings for this year's playoffs -> https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?dir=A&sort=DEF_RATING

Knicks are 5th with a 110.6 Defensive Rating while the Pacers are 8th with a 111.9 Defensive Rating. That's not a huge difference, is it?

[Capn'O]

Nope. Rik is a Dutch name, the short form of names like Hendrik and Frederik and neither of these names is spelled with a C in Dutch.

This fact is wrong

Fact: Despite his height and being nicknamed "The Dunkin' Dutchman, Rik Smits only averaged a dunk every five games. 2.5x less frequent than Patrick Ewing 10x less frequent than Shaq. "The Soft, Jumpshootin' Dutchman" would have been more appropriate.

The Dutch do not really play basketball. It was sort of a given that any Dutch player that actually opted for basketball would be called dunkin'.

I take your selective and meticulous defense of Rik Smits as an admission by omission that the Ferengi do not in fact want Reggie Miller back.

[KyRo23]

While many here are peddling in speculation, I peddle in facts.

Fact: Benedict Mathurin sounds like the name of a guy who died in 1862. Did he die of pertussis or maybe in the Civil War? He was not notable enough to say.

His tombstone reads that he was shot in the back by Buford Mad Dog Tannen over a matter of $80

[Capn'O]

While many here are peddling in speculation, I peddle in facts.

Fact: Benedict Mathurin sounds like the name of a guy who died in 1862. Did he die of pertussis or maybe in the Civil War? He was not notable enough to say.

His tombstone reads that he was shot in the back by Buford Mad Dog Tannen over a matter of $80

I stand corrected, fair historian.

And fair enough. That was a substantial sum at the time.

[Hello Brooklyn]

I am a certified Knicks hater and admitting my bias.

Pacers in six. They have been the better team in these playoffs and have more depth. Boston's collapse was inexplicable at times.

Knicks can't just go down 20 multiple times and expect to come back vs this Pacers team.

[cgf]

Fact: Tyrese Haliburton may not be able to finish the series due to ongoing embezzlement investigations stemming from the Enron scandal.

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C. Fact: The Ferengi called and they don't want Reggie Miller back.

Rik Smicts?

[Capn'O]

Fact: Tyrese Haliburton may not be able to finish the series due to ongoing embezzlement investigations stemming from the Enron scandal.

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C. Fact: The Ferengi called and they don't want Reggie Miller back.

Rik Smicts?

Facts.

[cgf]

Fact: Rik Smits' name needed a damn C.

Nope. Rik is a Dutch name, the short form of names like Hendrik and Frederik and neither of these names is spelled with a C in Dutch.

This fact is wrong

Eh, the Dutch can't spell. Their language is just german with a bunch of J's shoved in drunkenly.

[Dez]

After watching a Pacers fan get chased by a crowd of scummy fans and trash thrown at him for wearing a jersey I hope the Pacers pummel them into the ground.

[life_saver]

Finally getting to watch game 6 and man is this double big lineup everything I had hoped it would be when they're not out there with with Payne, Shamet, and McBride

If they can stay out of foul trouble they should be able to control the glass and pace.

Man if I am the Pacers I am begging you to employ that double big line up. Watching Kat and Mitch up and down the court at the same time with our pace plays right into our hands. Just a quick reminder that one of the reasons we don't have very many off rebounds is due to the fact that we have been shooting a very high percentage from the field. Maybe that changes this series, maybe it doesn't.

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Jaylen Brown had a wide open look from corner 3...he just seems to hesitate and unnecessarily dribble for no reason instead of taking a wide open corner 3