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

[Green89]

I think the craziest part of last nights game, is that the Knicks were scoring during that time.

It wasn't one of those scenarios where a team does EVERYTHING wrong, and loses. Brunson had a bucket, KAT had a bucket. They SCORED 6 points in the final minute of the 4th QTR, and it still didn't matter.

That's insane to me.

When down 11, the Pacers then scored on 9 possessions and the Knicks on just 5. That's the difference, where Indy scored on the four more possessions that they were down, and they tied it. The main thing the Knicks did wrong, that so many teams do when they are up late, is dribble too much and try to clock watch. Trading baskets and attacking always gets you the win, not standing around and waiting for the win.

[ArksNetsSince99]

I think the craziest part of last nights game, is that the Knicks were scoring during that time.

It wasn't one of those scenarios where a team does EVERYTHING wrong, and loses. Brunson had a bucket, KAT had a bucket. They SCORED 6 points in the final minute of the 4th QTR, and it still didn't matter.

That's insane to me.

The craziest part was Hali bounce back shot at the end of regulation

I watched reply so many times that I single-handedly broke YouTube

[Nuntius]

Mitchell Robinson taunting knicks fans too

He caught that from Mikal Bridges on that play too. Bridges basically fouled Toppin and Mitch.

Yep. I have no idea what New York was doing on that play. Why didn't they foul? It was pure chaos.

[ArksNetsSince99]

pffffff, where do these people come out of the woodworks lol, jokes will get quiet when NY us up 2-1......

5 games tops

Knicks never won the series after dropping game 1 at home , history proves it

your act is getting old man....go do some scouting on draft picks that will end up being busts

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbnR3NnJ0c3hha3F3enFsanJwaGJ0dnRuc3RsYmw1YTR6Zmw2MGRleSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/TizHAKYviTw6rDWSNV/giphy.gif

[Joao Saraiva]

What a game! And man are the gods of basketball against the Knicks that late bounce in the shot to take it to overtime is surreal. And that might change the entire series. Haven't seen such luck since the Kawih shot vs Philadelphia.

[NYPiston]

Yep. I have no idea what New York was doing on that play. Why didn't they foul? It was pure chaos.

They actually did foul Toppin, should have been an and1

[Joao Saraiva]

Btw where are the guys that say scoring in the last quarter when there is a double digit difference doesn't count? You guys should stop living under a rock. In today's NBA it's perfectly possible to recover 15 points in a hurry.

[Optimus_Steel]

Mitchell Robinson taunting knicks fans too

He caught that from Mikal Bridges on that play too. Bridges basically fouled Toppin and Mitch.

That was impressive. He fouled one guy on each team simultaneously, so the refs prob thought the fouls cancel each other out

[Nuntius]

Yep. I have no idea what New York was doing on that play. Why didn't they foul? It was pure chaos.

They actually did foul Toppin, should have been an and1

Yeah but that was not intentional

[Capn'O]

Didn't see the game but just read about the ending. What is up with these ****? A 8 point deficit with 34 seconds and they win. With a guy making 6 3s in the final 5 minutes? With another haliburton buzzer beater where he apparently just shoots 100% on buzzer beaters now?

After an insane comeback against Milwaukee. After an insane comeback against Cleveland in game 2. Literally 3 of the least likely, 3 possession game with less than a minute type comebacks in 11 playoff games. You could go your whole life without seeing your team get one of those in a playoff game. These guys have 3 in 11 games!

And what's wild is that the Knicks have been the comeback kid in our other series.

Something that the Pacers did really well was press Brunson in the closing minutes of the game. He's usually pretty solid at keeping his composure but was stressed enough that he made some costly turnovers and other unforced errors such as the errant pass to OG. Very unusual for him but the pressure applied was very aggressive and we didn't really have an answer for that swarm around him.

First off, we waited too long to call TO. But generally, it's on Thibs to figure out a counter because that approach worked. We couldn't take our time and played into their running game. If Indy doesn't rush our possessions they don't have the ball enough to finish that comeback in spite of the heater they were on.

[Capn'O]

Mitchell Robinson taunting knicks fans too

He caught that from Mikal Bridges on that play too. Bridges basically fouled Toppin and Mitch.

Yep. I have no idea what New York was doing on that play. Why didn't they foul? It was pure chaos.

Y'all kinda thrive in chaos, it seems.

[GeorgeSears]

It was definitely a choke job. OG fumbling the easy pass from Brunson with the Knicks up 5, and then missing a FT later on, is how these things happen.

[Stannis]

There's no way to disguise it or sugarcoat it. That was the worst way the Knicks could open the series.

There's no "blessing in disguise" or silver lining.

Sure, the fans got "humbled" and will now take the Pacers more seriously. But they aren't the ones playing the game.

The ladder to climb is now even higher, and I really don't think the Knicks players have what it takes. They are already running on fumes and a 7-game series is probably not what they want right now. Especially when the game should have been over with 5 minutes left; but instead, they allowed 27 points.

[cgf]

I think the craziest part of last nights game, is that the Knicks were scoring during that time.

It wasn't one of those scenarios where a team does EVERYTHING wrong, and loses. Brunson had a bucket, KAT had a bucket. They SCORED 6 points in the final minute of the 4th QTR, and it still didn't matter.

That's insane to me.

2's were being traded for 3's though, Hell of a game and literally 1 play would have iced the game. Hold the ball instead of the pass to OG, but sh*t happens, be better down the stretch game 2.

Yeah, there’s a reason I said this series would be amazing tv…and hell on my blood pressure lol. Even the little one couldn’t take her not-yet-3-months-old eyes off the game down the stretch

This game showed both why I like our chances against Indy IF we can control the pace and can stay fresh enough to finish games cleanly…and why I was worried about the pacers wearing us down over 7 games with their refusal to ever go away.

With how much better this team has been on the road, I still think we can take a 3-1 lead back to MSG for game 5, but it’s gunna be our toughest series yet.

[cgf]

It was definitely a choke job. OG fumbling the easy pass from Brunson with the Knicks up 5, and then missing a FT later on, is how these things happen.

That’s what the pacers do, they fatigue you so that at the ends of games they are fresher and so better able to execute. It’s why we need to dominate the glass and control the pace against them.

[Capn'O]

Something about the Pacers, man, they smelled blood. You could see in real time that they were in attack mode, trying to win the game. The Knicks looked like they were just trying to survive out there.

I love both these teams for Raptors reasons. This will 100% be my favourite series.

There was a play in the third quarter where I started to worry where Nesmith was PO'd that he didn't get a couple of calls and got in on Brunson and drew a charge and Brunson fell down. You could tell that rattled him a bit.

This group of Knicks typically stays away from kerfuffles but I thought that was a moment where having another player come in and chirp a bit would have lifted Brunson up. Nesmith's mental edge started there.

[Capn'O]

There's no way to disguise it or sugarcoat it. That was the worst way the Knicks could open the series.

There's no "blessing in disguise" or silver lining.

Sure, the fans got "humbled" and will now take the Pacers more seriously. But they aren't the ones playing the game.

The ladder to climb is now even higher, and I really don't think the Knicks players have what it takes. They are already running on fumes and a 7-game series is probably not what they want right now. Especially when the game should have been over with 5 minutes left; but instead, they allowed 27 points.

There's no blessing in disguise but it's not by any means lost. Win the next one and split Indy. That's what we need to do. Everyone will be tired. But Indy opened up a lot of paths to victory with that win and the way they got it.

[cgf]

He caught that from Mikal Bridges on that play too. Bridges basically fouled Toppin and Mitch.

Yep. I have no idea what New York was doing on that play. Why didn't they foul? It was pure chaos.

Y'all kinda thrive in chaos, it seems.

It’s a big part of how they wear you down. Force you to constantly expend energy fighting the chaos so that at the end they are fresher and better able to execute in the madness that they are accustomed to. Those body blows add up and most teams give them an opening to land a haymaker before the final bell.

[Optms]

That was the best game of the entire playoffs so far. I still don't see the Knicks losing this series. They legit had this game won.

[cgf]

There's no way to disguise it or sugarcoat it. That was the worst way the Knicks could open the series.

There's no "blessing in disguise" or silver lining.

Sure, the fans got "humbled" and will now take the Pacers more seriously. But they aren't the ones playing the game.

The ladder to climb is now even higher, and I really don't think the Knicks players have what it takes. They are already running on fumes and a 7-game series is probably not what they want right now. Especially when the game should have been over with 5 minutes left; but instead, they allowed 27 points.

There's no blessing in disguise but it's not by any means lost. Win the next one and split Indy. That's what we need to do. Everyone will be tired. But Indy opened up a lot of paths to victory with that win and the way they got it.

I actually think we can take both in Indy if we can take control of the pace in this series. Yes we can beat them at their game when we are fresh…but they play that way because they have the bodies to stay fresh for 48 minutes of madness. We don’t.

…probably. I guess maybe expanding the rotation with Payne/Wright & Achiuwa could give us the legs to keep up for 48 minutes, but slowing the game down seems like the more likely path to success; at least given how Precious typically does in a limited role, where he has to worry about every mistake he makes sending him back to the bench.