Win game 5, put the pressure back on IND.

Still think we can win this but hard not to be down right now, such a golden opportunity. This team did what they were built to do, beat BOS... and we had all the reasons to think BOS was tougher than IND.

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:Now, are we really going to let IND come into MSG THREE times and beat us? Forget about game 1, if IND wins at MSG 3 straight times then again, we simply don't deserve it.

Win game 5, put the pressure back on IND.

Still think we can win this but hard not to be down right now, such a golden opportunity. This team did what they were built to do, beat BOS... and we had all the reasons to think BOS was tougher than IND.

We were built to beat Boston but unfortunately overlooked matching up with Indiana. Our forwards can’t guard their guards.

and even then, we held Hali to like 16ppg on 40% shooting in games 2 & 3. Unfortunate this series will always have an * on it because we literally gave away game 1 in such a way like never before.

Ultimately this has been a very close series, but we've also been healthy and that's what worries me, will this team ever get a healthy playoff run again?

and so many of those TO's were completely unforced. IND, and Hali just did a great job protecting the ball and played a much cleaner game.

VDesai wrote:Its not just out turnovers, but we're also not creating any. We need to get more physical on Haliburton. He has multiple feet of space and the comfort to do what he wants out there. We played our best ball last night when Wright was in getting deflections.

agreed. but even without creating them, there were so many big instances where we were right there within a few points up or down and we just made a silly unforced TO and didn't even get a shot off.

Was very frustrating to watch. Then early 4th all those fouls called on us were extremely frustrating as well and stopped us from creating more momentum .

VDesai wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:Now, are we really going to let IND come into MSG THREE times and beat us? Forget about game 1, if IND wins at MSG 3 straight times then again, we simply don't deserve it.

Win game 5, put the pressure back on IND.

Still think we can win this but hard not to be down right now, such a golden opportunity. This team did what they were built to do, beat BOS... and we had all the reasons to think BOS was tougher than IND.

I think we adjusted to beat Boston, but we're not countering what the Pacers do. They want to wear you down, they want to play faster than you, they want to keep you moving. Its like we played rope a dope all year to beat Boston and then haven't been able to adjust to the fact that we're playing a different team.

Still, to lose 3 at home in this series would be an embarrassment. I think we find a way to win game 5. We never know what to expect from this team, but I don't think they go down with a whimper at home in game 5. From there, you have to find a way to win another on the road and put yourself in a position to host game 7. It absolutely is not impossible...but its also unlikely. But the series has had some close games. We had one of the worst collapses in sports history to not be tied right now. It seems far fetched after last night, but we can win games in this series and keep the season going.

spot on. I feel weirdly confident despite being down 3-1.

I cant see us losing 3 straight at home.

I think game 6 is going to happen and I think it will be an absolute dogfight and we'll have a chance to win it and force what would be a bonkers g7 at MSG.

VDesai wrote:Taking Hart off the floor is not the best way to play the trap. Mitch has not been effective starting.

I would start Deuce or Wright. Then you have a defender on Hali and a second PG level ballhandler. Add Hart back and you have a third playmaker and a transition player. Yes Hart made bad passes last night, but he got you here playing this role. I really think this is how you beat the way Indy is playing you.

Interesting thought but I don’t agree. We need size on pascal. He abuses smaller players and has had success against og even

We do need to take care of the ball. We lost because of turnovers. Whether that’s because of lost focus or pacers play I don’t know. My guess is focus as exemplified by missed FT too. But last night we did everything better except take care of the ball.

We lost that game

Bridges 17pg on 43/40 shooting 12 TO and a -33
Brunson 33pg on 48/31 shooting 16TO and a -26
Hart. 8pg on 53/27 shooting 9TO and a -10
OG. 170g on 48/33 shooting 6TO and a -7
KAT 25pg on 52/45 shooting 10TO and a -2

MR 5pg 30 rebounds and a -13. Was +7 before last night.
Deuce 6pg on 33/28 shooting 4TO and a +12

Playoff stats: https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/playoffs/team/New-York-Knicks/20/stats

Offense not the problem except for bench scoring.
Obvious that Defense, TO and bad fouls has been the problem most often.

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:Now, are we really going to let IND come into MSG THREE times and beat us? Forget about game 1, if IND wins at MSG 3 straight times then again, we simply don't deserve it.

Win game 5, put the pressure back on IND.

Still think we can win this but hard not to be down right now, such a golden opportunity. This team did what they were built to do, beat BOS... and we had all the reasons to think BOS was tougher than IND.

We were built to beat Boston but unfortunately overlooked matching up with Indiana. Our forwards can’t guard their guards.

and even then, we held Hali to like 16ppg on 40% shooting in games 2 & 3. Unfortunate this series will always have an * on it because we literally gave away game 1 in such a way like never before.

Ultimately this has been a very close series, but we've also been healthy and that's what worries me, will this team ever get a healthy playoff run again?

Game 1 was the only game we’ve played well IMO. Even winning via another 12 minute burst in game 3 in what was maybe the worst we played all series for the first 3Q wasn’t impressive. Indy won pretty easily the other 2 despite game 2 being close after we made a desperate push and hit some 3s late. They basically held 10 pt leads in games 2 and 4 during the critical junctures.

Game 1 was obviously huge.
Made us the team that was fighting to be on top.
Big shift mentality if we had blown them out.

HofstraBBall wrote:

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:

DLeethal wrote:

nycericanguy wrote:Now, are we really going to let IND come into MSG THREE times and beat us? Forget about game 1, if IND wins at MSG 3 straight times then again, we simply don't deserve it.

Win game 5, put the pressure back on IND.

Still think we can win this but hard not to be down right now, such a golden opportunity. This team did what they were built to do, beat BOS... and we had all the reasons to think BOS was tougher than IND.

We were built to beat Boston but unfortunately overlooked matching up with Indiana. Our forwards can’t guard their guards.

and even then, we held Hali to like 16ppg on 40% shooting in games 2 & 3. Unfortunate this series will always have an * on it because we literally gave away game 1 in such a way like never before.

Ultimately this has been a very close series, but we've also been healthy and that's what worries me, will this team ever get a healthy playoff run again?

Game 1 was the only game we’ve played well IMO. Even winning via another 12 minute burst in game 3 in what was maybe the worst we played all series for the first 3Q wasn’t impressive. Indy won pretty easily the other 2 despite game 2 being close after we made a desperate push and hit some 3s late. They basically held 10 pt leads in games 2 and 4 during the critical junctures.

Game 1 was obviously huge.
Made us the team that was fighting to be on top.
Big shift mentality if we had blown them out.

They needed to win game 2 after that and couldn’t do it.

DLeethal wrote:Truthfully this team has looked out of sorts all playoffs and has not really played any great games besides game 6 versus Boston. Every win versus Detroit required some level of clutch heroics and we trailed double digits in most of those and stole them late. Boston we won two games where we got dominated for 3Q. Indy we won a game where we got dominated for 3Q. This team hasn’t played complete games or looked the part of a Finals team at all. It’s been one of the wonkiest playoff runs ever I think anyone would agree with that. I thank them for the exhilarating run but this team isn’t ready and they haven’t looked well coached at all. And frankly Thibs looks absolutely confused with what to do with this roster so he just rides his 5 guys even though they get cooked when they play together.

yea its been an odd run, lots of anxiety.

So the fact we havent really played all that well but are close to the finals can be a good thing, unless you think these starters just cant play elite together and that's also quite possible.