The Knicks escaped with one other shut Recreation 1 victory Monday evening, edging out the Indiana Pacers, 122-117, behind a 39-30 fourth quarter and fifth consecutive masterclass from Jalen Brunson.
Although they gained, there have been undoubtedly weak spots New York wants to enhance on going into Recreation 2 and past.
Listed here are three changes the Knicks might look to make…
Restrict second alternatives
Regardless of the Knicks being an elite defensive rebounding crew this season and the Pacers being a middling offensive rebounding crew, the latter managed to safe seven offensive rebounds in Recreation 1, conserving them within the motion all evening.
Whereas the Knicks usually did effectively within the rebounding battle, giving up straightforward second-chance alternatives to an explosive offense can’t be allowed going ahead.
A couple of offensive rebounds went to Indy’s facilities on performs New York’s 5 had to assist on a drive or pick-and-roll, leading to a Kobe help — others on simply poor effort performs. Josh Hart and the opposite supporting Knicks should be alert on their assist rebounding and field out usually, as Indiana’s bigs and wings are a bit extra vertical than Philadelphia’s.
Pascal Siakam managed to transform a pair into buckets, each occasions beating OG Anunoby into place. If that’s the matchup the Knicks are sticking with, Anunoby must be able to put a physique on Siakam at any time when the ball goes up.
Lower down on the turnovers
The Knicks misplaced the turnover battle, 14-7, practically dropping the sport due to it. The Pacers scored 22 factors off turnovers, method too wholesome an quantity for the Knicks to be snug with.
Most of New York’s giveaways seem to be they are often prevented with some higher focus. There have been plenty of foolish passes made, together with a number of by Hart and one by Brunson being caught within the air.
Essentially the most egregious got here through inbounds passes — the Knicks had three turnovers associated to inbounds performs, inexcusably shoddy execution. New York ought to look lots higher in Recreation 2 if it could possibly lower down on easy errors like these.
You wouldn’t assume the Knicks nearly misplaced Recreation 1 defensively, with Tyrese Haliburton solely scoring six factors and Siakam 19. Nevertheless, the remainder of the Pacers solid chipped in large on a number of open makes an attempt. And whereas this may occasionally mirror New York’s sport plan, they nonetheless don’t need each sport performed into the 120s.
There will not be many notes relating to how the Knicks guarded the Pacers stars, however their third finest participant, Turner, ended up main his crew with 23 factors by three quarters. New York could also be prepared to dwell with that, nevertheless it shouldn’t dwell with a few of the photographs he was getting.
New York confirmed a number of coverages on Turner pick-and-rolls, relying on the ball-handler, however slipped up sufficient to permit him plenty of robust seems to be. A technique they’ll restrict these is just not giving up the Brunson swap on Turner as simply.
The Knicks purposefully switched Haliburton pick-and-rolls, however different occasions even whereas taking part in a drop, Brunson would find yourself on Turner proper on the rim. He’ll have to battle over screens higher and his facilities ought to lean in direction of Turner extra, forcing non-Haliburton guards to attain from mid-range or on the rim.
On most pick-and-pops, Turner truly swung free, and whereas he solely transformed 2-6 threes, the Knicks have to rotate out to him since he is one in all Indiana’s most dependable shooters. These are higher switching alternatives the place he can’t punish a guard as simply, or the Knicks can put Anunoby on him and a middle on Siakam, in the event that they resolve to get extra drastic.
