jvsimonetti0514 wrote:I’m actually more worried about this series than I was against the 76ers. Pacers are a pretty deep team and were even more short handed. I like Turner, Nembhard, Nesmith, Obi, and McConnell as role players more than any of the 76ers guys. Outside of Oubre and possible Batum, idk if any of the 76ers role players would even play on this pacers team. We better get them to play at our pace cuz we might not have the bodies to get into a track meet with them. We do have the best player in the series and that usually determines who wins but we might be forced to play Burks. Not sure we can survive him on the floor for even 10 mins a game but that’s what we’ll need. Still think Knicks in 6 but I don’t think it will be a cake walk.
What has me very confident here is that with OG and Precious we likely have the best possible defenders on Siakam. They defended him in practice for years, likely know his every move and will do a good job there. Siakam will be likely facing 48 minutes of elite defense against him by guys that know his game to a T.
Haliburton's shooting has really taken a hit for whatever reason. Against a defenseless Buck team he shot 29.6% from 3 on 9 attempts per game---averaging 16points a night. He will have DD, Deuce and possibly Hart in his jersey 48 minutes a game.
Brunson on the other hand averaged 36points on 50% against the Pacers in 3 regular season games, getting to the line 10 times per contest. They don't have the personnel to defend him, at least 1 on 1. We do have the personnel to defend their star players.
I know regular season game should be taken with a grain of salt but: The Pacers 125 to 111 victory came against a knick team without not only Randle, but also without Mitch, Isaiah AND OG. We had Taj Gibson starting and still it was a single digit deficit early in the fourth. The game we won shortly therafter we were still without Randle, Mitch and OG and had only Isaiah returning and it was sufficient to keep them at 105 points and win the game.
For the Pacers to have a chance at winning this series they would have to hit the 3 at an insane rate throughout the series. Something uncharacteristic. Their offense is good enough to take a game or two and surprise us, but they really will to have to do stuff above their usual level of play to take the series. I have never felt as confident in a playoff series as this one. Not since the 90s.