The New York Knicks continue this historic playoff run as they meet the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Jalen Brunson etched himself in NBA history yet again while his fellow Wildcats, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, combined for 49 points as they continue to make the case for the best roleman in the NBA.
The Indiana Pacers relied on bench production, while Tyrese Haliburton had six points and six shot attempts in Game 1. The Knicks got the series off to an encouraging start, earning a hard-fought 121–117 win.
Studs: Donte’s Inferno
The NBA playoffs are where legends are made. Regardless of being the first or sixth option, no player encapsulates this more than Donte DiVincenzo. Donte hit a huge three to secure the victory in Game 6 against the 76ers and rode that hot hand to a victory in Game 1. DiVincenzo scored 25 points, 15 in the third quarter alone, with five made threes.
The tremendous third quarter from DiVincenzo kept New York afloat and having a player outside of Jalen Brunson capable of getting a hot hand. This creates even more room to work for Brunson, as defenses must respect DiVincenzo’s shot-making ability.
Regardless of a rough stretch of games in Round 1, this strong start in the second round indicates an even better showing offensively from the Knicks as a unit and DiVincenzo’s importance to this rotation. There is a ceiling on this Knicks team if he doesn’t play productively, so getting DiVincenzo going in every game will be vital to the success of the New York Knicks in these playoffs.
Studs: Josh ‘The Hitman’ Hart
Mr. Intangibles himself, Josh Hart continues to have an incredible playoff run. In Game 1, Hart scored 24 points while grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing eight assists. Throughout the season it was in the air that the Swiss Army knife was between Hart and DiVincenzo. Hart has played 326 of the 341 minutes played in the playoffs.
The past six games have made it apparent the glue to this team is Josh Hart. Grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds, Hart averages 16 points and 11 rebounds over the last five games of these playoffs. The consistency and stamina of Hart all season long is nothing short of astonishing.
It was just August 2023 when Hart was showing FIBA basketball all of what he has to offer, and now in May 2024, Hart is a clog to a well-oiled New York Knicks team with a 1-0 lead in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Studs: The Real Dynamic Duo
The duo of Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are the most important combination the Knicks have in their current rotation. At one point, it was Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, which saw many cons, lack of defense, and ball stopping that put a hard cap on the potential of the New York Knicks. The humility and commitment to both sides of the ball from OG allow the Knicks to play a better and more successful brand of basketball.
Finishing second seed this regular season, the Knicks are now 25-5 with OG Anunoby in the lineup. In Game 1, Anunoby had 13 points with nine rebounds while playing sensational defense in his 42 minutes on the floor.
Brunson made history in Game 1 and is tied for the second most consecutive 40-point playoff games in NBA History. This feat tying Michael Jordan while also becoming the first player to do so while also having five or more assists in every game.
Brunson is averaging 42 points and nine assists in the last five games while leading the NBA playoffs in points scored and points per game. This historic run from Brunson is not only etching his name in Knicks history but in NBA history, with the level of consistency from Brunson cementing him as one of the greats.
Takeaways from the Knicks’ win over the Pacers
The Knicks had incredible defense on Tyrese Haliburton in Game 1, but prioritizing sustainability will be an asset as New York looks to go up 2-0 in the series. Haliburton’s playmaking ability still created problems for the Knicks’ defense as players that one could assume weren’t in the defensive game plan took full advantage of the Knicks locking in on Haliburton defensively.
Looking ahead, the Knicks saw phenomenal performances from all the right players. The probable ‘X-Factor’ Donte DiVincenzo began the series on a high note, while Brunson continues his best ‘Human Torch’ impression as the Knicks will look to go up 2-0 in the series Wednesday night.