3 keys to a Knicks win over the Pacers in Game 6 of the 2024 NBA playoffs
The Knicks took command of the series with a Game 5 win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, but they will need an equally dominant performance on the road in Game 6 to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are three keys to New York’s victory...
Another Jalen Brunson masterpiece
Unlike the opening series against Philadelphia, this second round has been largely dependent on Brunson’s output.
He’s putting up 38.7 points on 54.4 percent shooting from the field in three wins and 22 points on 37.2 percent in their two losses.
If the Knicks want to seal the deal Friday, they’ll need a strong outing from their lead man. The good news is they’ve seemingly figured out how to effectively position him in this series, and the Pacers just don't have an answer.
Indiana’s basically run out of one-on-one options with Brunson. Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton get incinerated on him, and while Aaron Nesmith looked like a decent solution for a moment, Brunson quickly figured him out as well.
It helps that New York is getting Brunson in comfortable sets, such as empty side pick-and-rolls, one-two pick-and-rolls with Miles McBride and double screens to get the defense working. Expect much more of this and Brunson’s off-ball game to ensure he stays hot in Game 6.
The Pacers may decide to have somebody else beat them and trap Brunson’s picks, but the Knicks should be prepared for this look. They’ve moved the ball well and gotten contributions from everybody this series, so they should rise to any gimmicks Indiana throws their way.
Dominate the boards
Wanting it more can sometimes seem like a cliche, throwaway analysis, but these games can come down to a handful of effort plays. New York’s done well to lead the pack here, and can’t let their foot off the gas in Game 6.
Indiana’s two wins in the series have come when they’ve won the rebounding battle, grabbing over 50 percent of the available boards. New York’s won every time the other way, including during their dominant Game 5, in which nearly half of the Knicks' misses ended up as an offensive rebound.
That kind of relentless pursuit can take a team’s soul, as the Knicks have done in many games, but will need to do yet again to advance further. It starts with their front-court in Isaiah Hartenstein and Josh Hart, who can seemingly collect every loose ball if they want to.
Donte DiVincenzo did a great job of competing on the glass and wreaking havoc all over the court even with his shot not falling last contest. The Knicks can survive a poor shooting or sloppy night, but if they want to win they’ll need to handle their business on the boards.
Next man up
With New York effectively down to a seven-man rotation, their options have severely dwindled, and every game now comes down to essentially the same group of guys needing to play well. Every off-night and 20-point explosion is especially crucial in this case, so if the Knicks can get more of the latter and less of the former from their secondary options, that would be huge.
Some guys have already gotten the memo. Alec Burks rejoined the rotation with OG Anunoby’s injury and has put up three consecutive double-figure scoring games.
McBride started in Game 5 and shook off a cold spell, contributing 17 points and four assists in his biggest game of the season. Contributions like these are what the Knicks desperately need to move on.
