Knicks Should Play Like Pacers?

The New York Knicks might want to take a page out of the Indiana Pacers playbook.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown should give his new team a different look than what they had before.

The Knicks hope Brown can attack this team at an angle that Tom Thibodeau wasn't able to find during his five years with the team.

CBS Sports analyst James Herbert thinks the Knicks should try to play with a little more ball movement in the halfcourt under Brown, much like the Indiana Pacers did in the Eastern Conference Finals.

"Last year's Knicks, though, had a tendency to get stagnant in the halfcourt, particularly when opponents put smaller defenders on Karl-Anthony Towns," Herbert wrote.

"As awesome as Brunson is as a one-on-one scorer, I suspect that Brown will try to make the team less Brunson-centric: More player movement, more ball movement, more of an emphasis on getting the ball across halfcourt quickly. Maybe the Knicks will even be able to find Brunson some easy looks. Only 46% of Brunson's 3s were assisted last season, by far a career low, per Cleaning The Glass."

"When New York met the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, the style-of-play contrast was stark. With their commitment to playing with pace, their franchise player getting off the ball quickly and their unpredictable halfcourt system, the Pacers made the Knicks' approach look almost antiquated. Brown will not and should not ask Brunson to do a Tyrese Haliburton impression, but he and his staff can at least nudge New York in Indiana's direction."

The Knicks have the personnel to be an NBA Finals contender, but they just need the right coach to put the pieces into place.

Brown's offensive system he ran when he was with the Sacramento Kings could provide an idea as to what the Knicks could do with more ball movement and passing as opposed to pick-and-roll opportunities.

If Brown can find the right rhythm with the Knicks in the offense, the team could be back better than ever next season.

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