nycericanguy wrote:

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:

Dragon wrote:We won because we played the players who can defend, as simple as that. we can't outrun Indy on offense, but if we play defense then we can win games.

KAT definitely looked much better defensively with defenders around him. Deuce & Wright were huge and honestly Shamet defended his ass off too.

Might have to stagger the KAT/Brunson minutes a bit so they dont play too much together.

Because its crazy but we look better at times with Deuce out there.

Our wings are much bigger than Indiana’s. Hali, Nembhard, Nesmith are all very small and quick. Deuce has been the only guy who can keep up and fight over screens. So when you add Wright and Shamet we can actually hang with these guys on defense and in the speed / rotation department.

Wright is a keeper man. I hope he sticks next year even as just a depth piece.

Wright sold me last night, didnt look scared of the moment. just came in and hustled, defended, ran the team, and like Mitch is so great at, stayed completely within himself.

Mitch, OG, Mikal, Deuce, Wright... even Hart, this team is loaded with defenders we gotta stagger KAT & Brunson more.

The key to this team going forward might be a deeper rotation of defenders and less mins the starters and just more staggering in general. There are some killer combinations on this team but just overloading the 5 starters who don’t play well together isn’t it. Is Thibs the guy to run a deep rotation and ride the hot units on a nightly basis like Carlisle does even if it means sitting his top guns from night to night depending on flow?

not even sure its a deeper bench thing. Honestly just Wright over Payne and staggering Brunson and KAT more is enough. Shamet played well but he's prob just a spot minutes guy.

I didnt think we could defend at that level with KAT on the floor and the difference was no Brunson. Both is a bit much to overcome at times.

It's a wild move but KAT off the bench could make sense and let him dominate the opposing benches.

Yea I guess the point is there might be nights where KAT or Brunson play 25 mins because our defensive lineups are killing it. And obviously there will be nights we need those guys for 40 mins. But we shouldn’t just be married to the 5 guys playing 35-40 mins every night in a predictable rotation. It seems like random combos of defensive guys with one of our top scorers is going to be the killer lineup on any given night and we have to find it and ride it. There’s lots of combos we can put out there around Brunson or KAT with Deuce, Wright, OG, Mikal, Mitch and some of these guys should be playing heavy mins and closing games when they have it going.

My biggest fear last night was we went away from the bench too early. I think we went away from the bench too early in game 1 too. If the bench is killing it ride it til the end even if Brunson or KAT or OG or Mikal are on the bench. Obv last night when the bench failed to fully close it out we needed JB at the end to finish the job.

I’m rambling but there are killer combos on this team and our best 5 guys don’t play that well together so we gotta mix and match and close in different ways every night

Knicksfan wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:

Dragon wrote:We won because we played the players who can defend, as simple as that. we can't outrun Indy on offense, but if we play defense then we can win games.

KAT definitely looked much better defensively with defenders around him. Deuce & Wright were huge and honestly Shamet defended his ass off too.

Might have to stagger the KAT/Brunson minutes a bit so they dont play too much together.

Because its crazy but we look better at times with Deuce out there.

It also has something to do with better managing Hart's minutes. Its weird with him because he wasn't such a defensive liability before (might be his knee affecting him?) but this is why I think that Mitch in the SL, or you could try Deuce next game, really helps. Jalen and KAT might be ok with three good defenders, but with Hart added to that its terrible.

In the offseason we seally need to get another center AND hope for great progress from Huk.

Huk can def be that guy, I feel like he showed alot of flashes in limited min. And Al Hortford would be an amazing get as well.

Just praying this team stays healthy and gets their run these playoffs. Mitch and OG can be so fragile at times we are lucky to have these guys healthy and we gotta take advantage.

DLeethal wrote:

VDesai wrote:

blkexec wrote:JB doesn’t know when to get off the ball and when to take over.

People say this as if the hasn't led us to over 150 wins over the last 3 seasons...

Its not always that easy.

Also, when he’s out there his teammates often defer back to him. It’s not always JB just ball hogging it. He plays with some passive offensive players.

He needs to be off ball more. It’s not the ballhogging as much as how much time the ball is in his hands coming up the court

Also I’d like to see more cuts etc from the other guys. Having JB bring it up and then try and iso plays into Pacers hands on defense. Their best defenders are Naismith and nembhard and that’s who they have on JB and everyone else kind of sits back

Ball needs to be in KAts hands. They can’t guard him when he plays w force. And Mitch helps keep him out of foul trouble and provides more rebounding which is our identity. More rebounding = more possessions

DLeethal wrote:

martin wrote:Too small of a sample size, play them together more!

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/djacenba/status/1926842423956672515

It might be safer to play these guys in second halves and to close games than it is to start halves. Something about these dudes that all have to “feel” their way into games. Mikal notoriously can’t hit a shot until he misses 4 or 5 and they just seem to crawl their way into rhythms. Brunson addressed this after last post game and said they can’t afford to feel their way into games in the playoffs and have to be ready at the opening tip. So I wouldn’t be shocked if this lineup starts producing better if you eliminate them starting halves.

It's hard to think of a softer looking NBA player than Mikal --- maybe Hali.

martin wrote:He finished, didn’t need to start.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/nba_newyork/status/1926835571185336812

Celtics have been saying for decades it’s not who starts but who finishes. It helps keep egos in check. McHale didn’t start games. Cedric Maxwell did

blkexec wrote:

LivingLegend wrote:Is it just me or is Mitchy more fun off the bench as a change of pace?

Didn’t really feel him after first few minutes but he was tough early.

Props to Rick Carlisle for added his GOONS to the rotation to counter Mitch. I still think deuce is a better start option but Mitch was the only player (in my opinion) hart wouldn’t mind coming off the bench for. Reduces locker room issues. So good move by coach.

Mitch forces Indy to play goons and reduce the number of shooters on the floor for Indy. 5 and out not working against the twin towers. They don’t want to give up offensive rebounds.

Thibs was losing and just made a critical chess move over Rick Carlisle.

I believe Thibs found his 9 man rotation. Let’s hope this is permanent.

It’s not just adding goons. It causes the pacers team to face guard box out hit the glass to try and get the rebound. It slows their pace and cuts down on leakouts.

When KAT is out there by himself the pacers mug him up w two or more defenders on rebounds.

DLeethal wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/benritholtznba/status/1926841066688307527

Thibs is fond of saying that the best 3 point defense is to stop them from taking them