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The New York Knicks were razor sharp on Thursday night, defeating the Indiana Pacers 111-94. The Knicks crept back into the Eastern Conference Finals, swinging momentum in a (now) 3-2 series. New York led for the entirety of Game 5, and they held Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton to eight points on seven shot attempts.
As expected, the Knicks' stars led the way. Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, including 30 through the first three quarters. And Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Brunson spoke about the team's commitment in Game 5 in his post-game comments.
“I’m just very proud of what we did,” Brunson told reporters. “Now we’ve just got to replicate it in the first quarter of next game and the continue to build on that.”
As mentioned above, Brunson played incredibly well in Game 5. But an interesting trend from Game 5 (as well as from previous games), is that the Knicks played well without Brunson on the floor, as well. And they'll have to continue doing so to extend the series and bring it back to New York for a Game 7.
Knicks bench steps up, again
Coach Tom Thibodeau turned to his bench again in Game 5. Thibodeau played 10 players in meaningful spots, including guards Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. And Shamet and Wright did not disappoint. They were both a plus-four in 14 and 10 minutes, respectively, per Basketball Reference.
Shamet had a particularly strong outing, playing strong defense against the bigger Pascal Siakam. His impact was such that he elicited “SHA-MET” chants from the Madison Garden Crowd when he checked out in the fourth quarter—a major compliment from a high IQ audience. Wright's pesky defense was also a major contribution, as it disrupted much of the Pacers fluidity. In fact, Indiana scored zero fast break points in Game 5, which Shamet and Wright helped stop.
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Much of the contribution of Shamet and Wright had to do with the grittiness that they bring. With Brunson off the floor, the Knicks must restrict the Pacers baskets, and Shamet and Wright seem capable of doing so. They are both competent on ball defenders, and boast a sufficient amount of size and length to disrupt the opposing offense.
But it wasn't just Shamet and Wright. Thibodeau also turned back to Precious Achiuwa in the second half when Pacers' coach Rick Carlisle demonstrated a willingness to go the Hack-a-Mitch route. And Achiuwa did not disappoint. He was a plus-six in only six minutes, altering two shots at the rim, both of which ended up being defensive rebounds for the Knicks, and making a basket that extended the team's lead.
To achieve Game 7, Knicks must continue leveraging new-found depth
The Knicks must continue to rely on the bench. Depth is objectively important, but it's especially important when role players can impact the game differently than the starters. Shamet, Wright, and Miles McBride bring entirely unique skillsets that complement the starters (and Josh Hart) and throw the Pacers off balance.
Leveraging Rolle players provides an important change of pace. If the Knicks starters are playing well, then by all means leave them in. But if they're not, or if Pacers begin to make a run, it is reassuring to know that the Knicks have the requisite depth to turn to.
While New York won Game 5, Indiana didn't look overly interested in putting up a fight. That won't be the case in Game 6. Expect a motivated Pacers team on Saturday, as well as a hostile and raucous Indiana crowd. But the Knicks know exactly what the Pacers are going to do—namely, push the pace—and the crowd should be a non-issue at this point of the season.
New York simply has to execute similarly to how they did in Game 5, and that means using its bench. Hopefully the Knicks' role players remain up for the challenge, because immortality could be on the line.
