Knicks Pacers Game 3 reaction

Pacers get fortunate; Knicks suffer heartbreak

Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Donte’s Inferno

Donte had the Pacers cooked on a skillet. 35 points. 7/11 from 3. Helping this undermanned squad, with a limping Brunson overturn multiple double-digit deficits to put the Knicks up 9 with less than 9 mins left? The way he created space for himself with his immense off-ball movement and telepathic chemistry with Jalen? He was always open, and he knocked them down like it was a 3-point contest.

For some bizarre reason, the Knicks went away from him. In the final 5 minutes Thibs, Jalen and the offense didn’t once call an offensive play for him.

It was a costly error.

Indiana beat the Knicks at their own game down the stretch

The first two games were decided by the Knicks grabbing every offensive rebound. Unfortunately, the Pacers reversed that down the stretch in Game 3. Grabbing boards from all their missed shots in the final minutes, recycling possession repeatedly down the stretch, and eventually, it paid off.

This is where the Knicks lack of a front court due to injury really hurt them. A Robinson, Randle or OG back there, and it’s not an issue. Hart battled gamely with a phenomenal 18 boards, but no other Knick was close apart from Hartenstein’s 8. They were too small and gassed by the end.

Final 8 minutes decided it; bad challenge, bad calls and really bad shots

After the Knicks took a 9 point lead, they subsequently went 0-8 from the field, then 1-5 and 50% from the line. Brunson was defended terrifically by Nesmith particularly. He forced some shots, when perhaps, he could have looked for Donte’s hot hand. However, our MVP on one leg still put up 26 and 6.

Thibs used his last challenge on an out-of-bounds call with far too much time left. He was told not to challenge, but he did so anyway, and that cost him an opportunity to challenge numerous terrible calls by the officials down the stretch which were far more costly not to mention a valuable timeout when this team were gassed.

Brunson got called for a blocking foul when he set his feet. It appeared there was a goaltend, when Hart’s shot was blocked from behind on a fastbreak, that was challengeable.

There were some particularly egregious missed calls when Brunson was fouled at least three times in one action, Rick Carlisle challenged it and won the challenge.

Hartenstein wasn’t allowed to grab a rebound as Siakam grabbed him by the waist and pulled him away from the play with a minute left to allow Indiana to go up 2 points.

But hey, although it wasn’t an evenly called game, unlike Rick Carlisle the Knicks won’t send in 78 calls and cry to the NBA office. The Knicks didn’t lose because of the officials, just like the officials didn’t cost Indiana the first two games. We went up 9 with 9 minutes to go, have to see it out, can’t go 1-13 after that.

Nembhardt’s winner was pure luck, but you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, so tip your cap to him. The Knicks allowed far too many second-chance opportunities down the stretch, but they defended that one perfectly. He was forced to launch a 3 with no time left on the shot clock from nearly 40 feet. Luck was on his side and it went in, for a back-breaking shot to put them up three.

Brunson’s arm was held in the final play and he tried to force the call. He shouldn’t have tried to launch it after that, he had 15 seconds to re-set and find the open man for a better shot to tie it. It was clear how the game was being officiated, so don’t put the game in the refs hands and move the ball.

Positives to take into Game 4

Shout out to Alec Burks. He dusted off the DNP’s and had a solid 14 points. McBride put up 10 points and was a +11 on the court, after a rough previous few games. New York were a sublime 52% from three.

Despite Halliburton going OFF for 35, we were the better team for much of the contest. Brunson’s foot injury cost him his usual quick step and lift on his shots. Even with Indiana playing at full strength buoyed by their home crowd we still should have won, even without a frontcourt. New York are the far better team. I’m convinced of that, it’s really down to injuries at this point.

The only things that will stop the Knicks from advancing is Brunson’s foot and the Knicks lack of frontcourt. Sims is just a body at this point, he provides nothing. Achiuwa was not his usual self and IHart needs to be better on the glass down the stretch. If they can get something (anything) out of this frontcourt until OG comes back, and Brunson’s foot gets better, I still feel the Knicks win in six games because this team are warriors.

Game 4 is on Sunday.

#NewYorkForever

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