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

[Former Nets Fan]

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

Why do you hate the Knicks Arks?

Sean Marks destroyed our Team

Time to root for Winner, Nets suck which is a tough pill 2 swallow

Knicks are gonna be really good 4 another 5,6 Years, I'm sick of being depressed

[cgf]

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.

Yeah, Boston didn't really get Karl in PnRs and force him to make reads on the move. They tried to isolate him and attack him that way, which Karl isn't nearly as bad at. Jalen worries me less since he's very smart & strong, and surprisingly quick. But the pacers' ball movement could get Towns turned around when he's out there without Mitch.

Fortunately we do have that double big counter, as Robinson is one of the best PNR defenders in the game and as long as they are controlling the glass enough to control the pace, we can roll that lineup quite a bit. Plus your ball movement based offense could play right into our disruptiveness in passing lanes with our wings, Robinson, and Brunson...as long as you don't wear us out.

What I think I'm most curious about is how you'll defend us. In the regular season we were able to burn you because you played us very traditionally with Turner on Towns and Siakam on OG. While what teams were having more success doing was putting their center on Hart and defending Karl with a big wing like Siakam. Which is the adjustment I'm expecting from Carlisle...but Karl has gotten a lot better at punishing teams for defending him with guys he can cook in the post, so I'm not sure how much that will help.

This could be a huge series for Bridges & Anunoby as well; assuming that sooner or later you end up with Nesmith on Brunson, Siakam on Towns, and Turner on Hart, that would mean Hali & Nembhard had to check our wings defensively and they're just too small to keep OG from the rim, or Mikal from getting to his midrange bag.

[cgf]

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

Why do you hate the Knicks Arks?

Sean Marks destroyed our Team

Time to root for Winner, Nets suck which is a tough pill 2 swallow

Knicks are gonna be really good 4 another 5,6 Years, I'm sick of being depressed

Because the Knicks have never loved Arky back, but after his hate leads us to the promised land, he'll don the Mikal Bridges jersey I'm gunna buy him, and take his place of honor at the parade!

[cgf]

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.

Read on Twitter

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

It wasn't a good pass so Brown didn't have good control of the ball until he took that dribble, by which point Robinson...who is an unreal 3pt shot blocker...was already on him. So Jaylen thought he could get Mitch to jump at the pumpfake and fly by for an actually wide-open look...but Mitch stayed on his feet, trapped Brown in the corner on his own, and snatched the ball away from him.

Maybe Brown could've gotten the shot off if he had let it fly right away, but he would've been rushing his shot.

[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.

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?

not really seeing what pace has to do with a 3 ppg difference when one team shot like garbage and the other shot very well. it's pretty clear that if the cavs could hit the shots they hit all year long it would've been 4 W's in their favor. they got the looks they wanted, that wasn't the issue.

so like I said maybe pacers are just hoping knicks will miss everything the same way.

[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

Why do you hate the Knicks Arks?

Sean Marks destroyed our Team

Time to root for Winner, Nets suck which is a tough pill 2 swallow

Knicks are gonna be really good 4 another 5,6 Years, I'm sick of being depressed

Good Luck loose change

Let me give you my perspective

Brentford FC (west London ) fans waited 74 years to comeback to Premier League , generations passed away waiting ,but they stood with their Club , it was the best sight I ever saw old 85-90 year old man crying from happiness in 2021 , because the last time they saw their team playing in PL was in 1945 when they were 10 years old boys

Now in the same city they had 8 (eight) teams who won trophies every year , Arsenals ,Chelsea , Crystal Palace Fulham , Tottenham , WHU and many more in higher divisions than Brentford over the decades and decades

Yet they stood behind their team in rain for 75 years

Now Knicks is the old /new toy in town and how do you imagine ? Just switch ? ,go to the Garden , eat couple of hotdogs wash this with cheap beer and start celebrating ( if they win ) their own championship as my own ???

No thx , I rather watch Nets even if they suck even if they’ll never win

Now I can root for other teams did for Dallas , did for Denver now for Indiana , I’m happy when they win but I’ll never claim their trophy as my own , they won , I’m just for a ride with them , but It’s THEIRs to enjoy brag celebrate and cherish

So saying this Pacers in 5 , let’s GO

[wang000hk]

One big difference between Celtics and Pacers in offense is low post scoring in paint
Pacers have a few big and long guys that can punish Knicks in the paint

Something can't be said for Celtics with their old or injured big men

[Capn'O]

Now Knicks is the old /new toy in town and how do you imagine ? Just switch ? ,go to the Garden , eat couple of hotdogs wash this with cheap beer and start celebrating ( if they win ) their own championship as my own ???

No thx , I rather watch Nets even if they suck even if they’ll never win

I can respect that. That's what we did.

In seriousness, I don't love the Nets but if you all were to play some of our rivals over the years I'd probably side with the Nets. Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, Heat, Pacers... nah, I'd take the Nets if it came down to it.

I didn't like those Deron or Durant Frankenteams. The Kidd years were fun though and that ragtag year with Russell.

[ArksNetsSince99]

Now Knicks is the old /new toy in town and how do you imagine ? Just switch ? ,go to the Garden , eat couple of hotdogs wash this with cheap beer and start celebrating ( if they win ) their own championship as my own ???

No thx , I rather watch Nets even if they suck even if they’ll never win

I can respect that. That's what we did.

In seriousness, I don't love the Nets but if you all were to play some of our rivals over the years I'd probably side with the Nets. Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, Heat, Pacers... nah, I'd take the Nets if it came down to it.

I didn't like those Deron or Durant Frankenteams. The Kidd years were fun though and that ragtag year with Russell.

I call it BS bruh , Knicks forum was celebrating all Nets injuries , Hardens , KD , and the most Kyries sprained ankle in second round against the Bucks

Ok I’ll admit rooting for Celtics it was straight up hate plus I like Bisme so it was easy

Now Pacers they had great tough teams , and I felt bad for them for Malice at the Palace , maybe I’m wrong but I think it was their year to win it all then

So far I’m 2-0 when I really root for the teams Dallas ( I wanted Kidd to win ) Denver ( I wanted B Brown and uncle Jeff win ) now Pacers ( no ex Nets players on that team )

[ArksNetsSince99]

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.

HB is the MAN !!!

[Capn'O]

Now Knicks is the old /new toy in town and how do you imagine ? Just switch ? ,go to the Garden , eat couple of hotdogs wash this with cheap beer and start celebrating ( if they win ) their own championship as my own ???

No thx , I rather watch Nets even if they suck even if they’ll never win

I can respect that. That's what we did.

In seriousness, I don't love the Nets but if you all were to play some of our rivals over the years I'd probably side with the Nets. Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, Heat, Pacers... nah, I'd take the Nets if it came down to it.

I didn't like those Deron or Durant Frankenteams. The Kidd years were fun though and that ragtag year with Russell.

I call it BS bruh , Knicks forum was celebrating all Nets injuries , Hardens , KD , and the most Kyries sprained ankle in second round against the Bucks

Ok I’ll admit rooting for Celtics it was straight up hate plus I like Bisme so it was easy

Now Pacers they had great tough teams , and I felt bad for them for Malice at the Palace , maybe I’m wrong but I think it was their year to win it all then

So far I’m 2-0 when I really root for the teams Dallas ( I wanted Kidd to win ) Denver ( I wanted B Brown and uncle Jeff win ) now Pacers ( no ex Nets players on that team )

After the Durant injury I didn't want Kyrie anywhere near the Knicks though I did concede that it could work out very well for you guys. I didn't want him specifically grabbing control of the franchise while Durant was hurt because we had a couple stars run the place who shouldn't have. What got me rolling was when those two started running the place and getting Atkinson canned for a rookie coach in Nash. Then Harden came along. The thing was, it was so obviously destined to fail due to egos and health. It was something I could see through our own failures and something I didn't want the Knicks to repeat. Once you got Durant/Kyrie, to me, the threat was more that the Knicks would get jealous and try to emulate what the Nets did and do something truly stupid when we had the opportunity to do something smart. We'd done it that way before. We didn't need to keep up with you. We're the damn Knicks.

Knicks ended up doing what I always wanted them to do instead of trying to match the Nets star power once they lost out on Durant, who really was that guy. Especially before the injury. They built a really good team brick by brick and kept targeting guys that fit the existing talent on the roster. That's what you need to do for sustained success. It's what the Rod Thorn/Kidd era Nets did or what the Warriors did or what the Bulls did or what the Celtics did etc. Even these Pacers. Only rarely can you throw a group of stars together quickly and have it work. They need to be really elite and willing to put ego aside because you don't have a lot of support in terms of role players and you need a strong manager like Riley/Spo or Phil to hold the reins on everyone's ego.

Now that the Knicks are good again and building the right way I could care less how much success the Nets have. It would be good to have another decent team in the City. Even a cross town rivalry Like, I wouldn't even be that bummed if you guys got Giannis though I think other teams will have better offers.

[The KnicksFix]

pacers in five

Salt in the wounds watching us bury the future of the ugly leprechauns?

[The KnicksFix]

The arrogance of the Knicks fanbase is astounding.

We just smoked the defending champs where NO ONE picked us to win. TF we supposed to be other than confident ?

[The KnicksFix]

My crystal ball says Haliburton is gonna hit a game-winning three in the Garden, jump on to the scores table, and yell “this my mother loving house” in James Dolan’s direction.

Hart and Mathurin are gonna hem each other up. Mathurin’s gonna slam Hart, and Hart, too smart to throw a punch, will still need half the Knicks bench to pry him away from Mathurin.

Yea, we smackin’ the sh** outta the pacers
Stop it lmao
You act as if OG and Mikal and Mitch don’t exist

[The KnicksFix]

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.

HB is the MAN !!!

Thanks for Mikal!! Should have asked for more picks!

[lethalizer]

This'll be a fun as hell series. If Indy can keep up their pace against the Knicks, I think New York is in trouble.

Very tough to pick a winner here, but I'll go with Pacers in 6.

[ArksNetsSince99]

I can respect that. That's what we did.

In seriousness, I don't love the Nets but if you all were to play some of our rivals over the years I'd probably side with the Nets. Celtics, Bulls, Sixers, Heat, Pacers... nah, I'd take the Nets if it came down to it.

I didn't like those Deron or Durant Frankenteams. The Kidd years were fun though and that ragtag year with Russell.

I call it BS bruh , Knicks forum was celebrating all Nets injuries , Hardens , KD , and the most Kyries sprained ankle in second round against the Bucks

Ok I’ll admit rooting for Celtics it was straight up hate plus I like Bisme so it was easy

Now Pacers they had great tough teams , and I felt bad for them for Malice at the Palace , maybe I’m wrong but I think it was their year to win it all then

So far I’m 2-0 when I really root for the teams Dallas ( I wanted Kidd to win ) Denver ( I wanted B Brown and uncle Jeff win ) now Pacers ( no ex Nets players on that team )

After the Durant injury I didn't want Kyrie anywhere near the Knicks though I did concede that it could work out very well for you guys. I didn't want him specifically grabbing control of the franchise while Durant was hurt because we had a couple stars run the place who shouldn't have. What got me rolling was when those two started running the place and getting Atkinson canned for a rookie coach in Nash. Then Harden came along. The thing was, it was so obviously destined to fail due to egos and health. It was something I could see through our own failures and something I didn't want the Knicks to repeat. Once you got Durant/Kyrie, to me, the threat was more that the Knicks would get jealous and try to emulate what the Nets did and do something truly stupid when we had the opportunity to do something smart. We'd done it that way before. We didn't need to keep up with you. We're the damn Knicks.

Knicks ended up doing what I always wanted them to do instead of trying to match the Nets star power once they lost out on Durant, who really was that guy. Especially before the injury. They built a really good team brick by brick and kept targeting guys that fit the existing talent on the roster. That's what you need to do for sustained success. It's what the Rod Thorn/Kidd era Nets did or what the Warriors did or what the Bulls did or what the Celtics did etc. Even these Pacers. Only rarely can you throw a group of stars together quickly and have it work. They need to be really elite and willing to put ego aside because you don't have a lot of support in terms of role players and you need a strong manager like Riley/Spo or Phil to hold the reins on everyone's ego.

Now that the Knicks are good again and building the right way I could care less how much success the Nets have. It would be good to have another decent team in the City. Even a cross town rivalry Like, I wouldn't even be that bummed if you guys got Giannis though I think other teams will have better offers.

You couldn’t predict that pandemic gonna happen

Say whatever you want but signing KD Kyrie was the right thing to do at the time

Harden not so much , but again who could’ve predicted Harden hamstring injury , or Kyrie sprained ankle injury ?

You ride as far as the health get you , we lost Kyrie and Harden during playoffs and lost by KD toe to the Bucks

If you loose now Brunson and OG or KAT , where you gonna end up ? Swept by the Pacers ?

And no I don’t want Giannis , he is not on the Nets timeline at this point, Giannis needs contender or near contender team

[Mamba81p]

For what is worth, you really, really do not want to go down that road.

One of the reasons why I follow the NBA despite not being an American is that fan hooliganism isn't really a thing in American sports. Fans of opposing teams can watch away games without fearing for their safety. That's something I admire because this is not what happens in my country, Greece. Olympiacos fans cannot go into Panathinaikos' stadium to watch their teams play each other (and vice versa). When the big teams play, you will never see fans of different teams watching the game together. Opposing ultra groups attacking each other isn't uncommon and those attacks sometimes result in deaths.

You really do not want any of that crap happening in the US. Trust me on that. It makes following any team a lot, lot worse.

100% agree with this. I despise the hooligan fan culture. I hate when sports leagues encourage it. It makes things worse for everyone but angry 15-22 year old male morons.

Yep. It's absolutely awful. That's why it's so disheartening to see these two videos (one with the Pacers fans, the other with Windhorst) of New York fans throwing trash to people. Let's hope that this is the end of it.

I highly doubt it is the end of it. It's not like anything happened to those idiots. It will only get worse if Knicks continue winning.
There is a real problem with that age group lately

[NoStatsGuy]

Read on Twitter

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

It wasn't a good pass so Brown didn't have good control of the ball until he took that dribble, by which point Robinson...who is an unreal 3pt shot blocker...was already on him. So Jaylen thought he could get Mitch to jump at the pumpfake and fly by for an actually wide-open look...but Mitch stayed on his feet, trapped Brown in the corner on his own, and snatched the ball away from him.

Maybe Brown could've gotten the shot off if he had let it fly right away, but he would've been rushing his shot.

that guy clearly hasnt seen mitch bock 3 pointers

that was not a wide open three...

[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

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

Ironically, a regional language spoken in the Netherlands, named Frisian, is the language that is closest to English linguistically.