NBA East finals: Knicks stay in must-win mode, can the Pacers shut it out Recreation 6?

The Japanese Convention finals can have a Recreation 6 after the No. 3 seed New York Knicks staved off elimination and beat the No. 4 Indiana Pacers on Thursday at Madison Sq. Backyard.

The Knicks are nonetheless aiming to succeed in the Finals for the primary time since 1999. This postseason, New York eradicated the No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons after which dealt with the No. 2 Boston Celtics. 

In the meantime, the Pacers are attempting to get again into the Finals since their final look in 2000. Indiana knocked off the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks earlier than upsetting the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers. 

This is what has stood out from Recreation 5 and what to anticipate from Recreation 6. 

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Recreation 5: Knicks 111, Pacers 96

What stood out for the Knicks: Dealing with elimination, the Knicks stored their season alive by being the aggressors from the get-go and sustaining their depth for a full 48 minutes, understanding that the Pacers are specialists at capitalizing on any psychological lapses. (See Recreation 1 of this sequence, when the Pacers stormed again from a 14-point deficit with 3:14 left to pressure extra time and ultimately win.) The Knicks didn’t make that mistake once more, main by as many as 22 factors and by no means trailing, with Jalen Brunson taking cost with a 32-point, five-rebound and 5 help efficiency and Karl-Anthony Cities including 24 factors and 13 rebounds. The Knicks performed with desperation, outscoring Indiana in factors within the paint, 60-34, and solely permitting one Pacers participant to attain 20 or extra factors (Bennedict Mathurin, who had 23 factors). 

What stood out for the Pacers: The Pacers weren’t mentally ready for the Knicks’ depth and didn’t play their sport. They had been too sluggish. Tyrese Haliburton had eight factors, taking solely seven photographs. Myles Turner solely had 5 factors on three photographs. Nonetheless, the Pacers reduce their deficit to as few as 10 factors within the third quarter and 12 factors within the fourth quarter, however every time the Knicks roared again, led by Brunson, to reclaim a large benefit. The Pacers scored their fewest factors of those playoffs (94) and dedicated 20 turnovers, which led to fifteen factors for the Knicks. 

It was a quiet evening within the Backyard for Tyrese Haliburton. (Picture by Al Bello/Getty Photos)

What’s in retailer for Recreation 6: That is really a must-win for each groups. The Pacers can’t danger shedding one other contest after which going again to Madison Sq. Backyard for a Recreation 7. This a lot is for positive: Haliburton, who was coming off of a historic triple-double in Recreation 4 by which he had 32 factors, 12 rebounds, 15 assists and 0 turnovers, isn’t going to have one other sport by which he scores fewer than 10 factors. Count on Haliburton to take over Recreation 6. As for the Knicks, they’re a terrific staff on the highway, profitable six of their eight video games in enemy territory this postseason. They should replicate the depth they’d in Recreation 5, with each Brunson and Cities having massive performances. 

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand coated the league for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Instances, the Bay Space Information Group and the San Antonio Specific-Information. Observe her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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