Knicks vs. Pacers Game 1 Preview: How, Who to Watch
Everything you loved from the 1990s is getting a sequel this spring/summer: moviegoers will take in the exploits of "Bad Boys," "Twister," and "SpongeBob SquarePants" while hardwood viewers get another New York Knicks-Indiana Paces sequel.
The eighth edition of the long-standing postseason rivalry tips off on Monday night at Madison Square as both sides engage in Eastern Conference Semifinal play. Indiana leads the all-time series 4-3 with the current decider being the conference semifinal in 2013, which saw them dispose of the second-seeded Knicks in six games. New York has had to defeat the Pacers en route to each of its last two NBA Finals appearances, doing so in the conference finals of both 1994 and 1999.
The Knicks are fresh off a six-game victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, sealing the deal with a 118-115 thriller at Wells Fargo Center last Thursday. Indiana, on the other hand, won its first playoff series since 2014, taking down the third-seeded (if not shorthanded) Milwaukee Bucks in six.
New York and Indiana met three times during the regular season. The Pacers took two, but the first win (back on Dec. 30) had the Knicks severely shorthanded as they worked the immediate aftermath of the trade that brought OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to Manhattan.
What: Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks, Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 1 (Series tied 0-0)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
When/Watch: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Who's Favored: NYK -5.5
Keep An Eye On: OG Anunoby
One could realistically place a large asterisk next to the Pacers' two wins against the Knicks this season, as neither featured the services of Anunoby (who sat out of both February meetings due to injury). This time of year is exactly why the Knicks traded two homegrown franchise faces to attain his services and the Pacers are about to feel his metropolitan wrath. Anunoby lived up to his advertised billing in round one, showcasing his trademark defense while making several clutch shots on the offensive end. His skillset will be essential in snuffing out any hope Indiana is carrying.
Pacer to Watch: T.J. McConnell
Obi Toppin will gain the most metropolitan eyes on the Pacer bench for obvious reasons but McConnell has proven to be an equally deadly depth star, one that forced the mild-mannered Josh Hart into cussing as tip-off loomed. McConnell certainly rose to the occasion in the Pacers' closer over the Bucks, scoring 20 points in Thursday's Game 6 victory. If the Knicks continue to employ a seven-man set to Bojan Bogdanovic done for the season, the Pacers' depth could be one of the lingering x-factors that gives them a fighting chance against their recurring rivals.
They Said It
“It’s not about taking away things from him: It’s collectively outscoring them and limiting what they want to do. You’re not going to take [him] away. He’s an All-Star for a reason ... You’re not going to go into a matchup and just say all right we’re going to take away X, Y, Z, and you’re just going to take it away. They’re too good to do that. You just try to slow them down.”-Donte DiVincenzo on guarding Tyrese Haliburton (h/t Brian Lewis, New York Post)
Prediction
The Knicks are the clear favorite in this series but they're in no position to throw away any advantage they can hoard. Indiana, known for its pace and transition, feels like a team that's tailor-made to pull off an upset of the Knicks, one that has absolutely nothing to lose moving forward and already took down one of the East's established contenders (albeit an abbreviated version). The Knicks have proven very capable of repaying the faith their home crowd has placed in them on countless occasions this seasons and Monday is the next biggest opportunity to do so ... and it won't be the last.
Knicks 109, Pacers 97
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks