New York – What the Knicks did Thursday evening, with their season on the line, their goals hung by a thread is to make you believe.
Force. Intention. Detail. Tips that do champions.
New York looked like a team that not only did not want its season to end in match 5 of the Eastern Conference final, but could realize the impossible, recover from a deficit of 3-1, then go to the final and do something.
New York has torn the spirit of the Indiana of the jump and Finally won by 17 To fill the gap in the final of the Eastern Conference to a deficit of 3-2. The Knicks sent a message to Pacers:: We are not lying.
Indiana should take this seriously.
“I’m just happy how we answered, honestly,” said Knicks star Jalen Brunson. “We came out, we had energy in the way we played. I am very proud of what we have done. We simply have to reproduce it in the first quarter of the next match and continue to build us on this. ”
New York took 15 more shots than the Pacers at a quick rate. The Knicks won the battle of rebound. They had five less reversals. Anything that generally culminates in a beat of this level, New York has excelled.
It was the stars, however, that set the tone. Brunson scored six consecutive points in the first minutes on the way to a first quarter of 14 points (Brunson finished the match with 32 points on the 12 out of 18 shooter). The New York guard entered inside. He was hard, cunning. He made sweaters. Brunson brought the party to the Pacers and forced the knees to complete early. The cities of Karl-Anthony then followed. The big star man scored 12 of his 24 points in the second quarter. Indiana had no answer to him. He scored inside at will. He did not need to make 3 points because it seemed that each trip to the basket ended with a manufactured shot and a frank launch. The two Knicks stars put the table and ate all the food.
New York took 21 shots in the restricted area in the first half. Everything had a goal and was done with intention.
“I entered the match thinking about being ultra-aggressive, and if I am lucky to get the hill or have an impact on the game, I wanted to do it,” said Towns. “Tonight was a great night to execute us or a defensively match plan and that helped us go offensively, with transitional points.”
At the other end of the soil, the Knicks were just as determined and energetic. This includes Brunson, who was constantly targeted in this series. As a collective, Knicks’ rotations were clear. Their performance on pick-and-rolls was aggressive. They kept the ball. Mikal Bridges even picked up Tyrese Haliburton, who was held at eight points on seven shotsBefore he sometimes broke the half-terrain line.
OG Anunoby had three interceptions. Mitchell Robinson transformed the “Blockness Monster”, recording two blocks and dissuading the Pacers Ballhandlers to go to the rim. Landry Shamet came out of the bench and, on a possession, only demolished an offensive possession of the Indiana.
This team last night was connected, physical and concentrated.
“It started at the point of attack, with Mikal, just by picking up and making things difficult,” said Knicks Mile McBride goalkeeper. “Everyone spoke and communicated much more. I just felt like we had an advantage tonight.”
The Knicks carry out these types of performance here and there. This is part of the way they just remind you when you might think they have finished. This team has the potential to play this level of defense more than all matches. This team has players to impose. The problem, however, is that they rarely assembled two of these performances together.
This is New York’s last magical round, the last piece in the puzzle. In order to do what looked like the impossible two days ago and to become the first team of the Eastern Conference finals in 44 years to return from a 3-1 deficit, this must be the norm for two other games. There is no reason why it is not. That’s it. It’s Win-Or-Go-Home.
By winning the victory on Thursday, the Knicks gave all the pressure on Indiana. The Pacers should close this series at home. If they don’t … A match 7 inside Madison Square Garden? Against Brunson? With this crowd? My money is on the Knicks.
Over the past 26 years, the most famous arena in the world has been hollow in June. Full seats. Empty. The only noise comes from the streets outside. It can change, finally, after all these years. The Knicks only have to redo what they did in match 5. And then again. It’s a high task, but that’s what separates the right teams from the championship teams, and New York does not seem satisfied to be good.
The Knicks will not move away from themselves. We have learned repeatedly throughout these qualifying series. The Pacers will have to be the first team to do them.
“We never give up,” said Josh Hart. “This is the most important thing. This is how we play. We know when we spoil ourselves and keep ourselves. We collect it when we need it.
“It’s the same situation, going home, which is a difficult place to play. They have big fans, great energy. We have to be even better. ”
(Photo of Jalen Brunson: Al Bello / Getty Images)
