Knicks-Pacers: 5 takeaways from series-changing Game 3

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INDIANAPOLIS — A brand new location introduced a really totally different sport and, ultimately, a brand new hero.

This time it was the Indiana Pacers who grabbed the large offensive rebounds down the stretch. And this time, it was Andrew Nembhard that hit the large shot, a stepback, 30-foot 3-pointer on the shot-clock buzzer that gave the Pacers a three-point lead with 18 seconds left.

Down 2-0 within the Jap Convention semifinals, Indiana held on for a 111-106 victory over the New York Knicks. All three video games have been shut, and all three have been gained by the house staff.

There have been a number of key tendencies and performs that led to Nembhard’s shot. Right here’s a breakdown…

1. This sequence lastly obtained ugly

After two video games, this was essentially the most environment friendly offensive playoff sequence in NBA historical past, with the 2 groups having mixed to attain 128.7 factors per 100 possessions. And issues weren’t any totally different by means of the primary three quarters of Recreation 3.

Then, it lastly obtained ugly.

Main 98-89 with lower than 10 minutes left, the Knicks scored simply eight factors on their remaining 18 possessions of the sport. And after tying it at 99 with 6:58 on the clock, the Pacers scored simply 5 factors on their subsequent 10 journeys down the ground.

Each groups had been determined.

Jalen Brunson was in a position to penetrate the Pacers’ protection however didn’t end in addition to he had within the first two video games, taking pictures simply 5-for-13 within the paint, seemingly feeling the consequences of the correct foot damage he suffered within the first half of Recreation 2.

“I want I might’ve performed somewhat higher,” he mentioned afterward. “However … if I can stroll, I’m gonna play.”

Open photographs had been missed on each ends of the ground. Donte DiVincenzo had a terrific sport, scoring 35 factors. However he was 1-for-5 within the fourth quarter, lacking the whole lot on a nook 3 with somewhat greater than six minutes left. Nembhard, the eventual hero, missed two nice seems on the identical possession with lower than two minutes to go.

The Pacers had not been superb defensively on this sequence, however they made some terrific defensive performs, with Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner all blocking Knicks layups within the remaining interval.

2. Haliburton passes forward

The Pacers ranked second in tempo this season, and Haliburton actually likes to stand up and down the ground. However he doesn’t must do all of the work himself. He’s at all times on the lookout for a teammate forward on the break, and he led the league with 8.2 pass-ahead passes per sport, based on Second Spectrum monitoring.

After Brunson missed a troublesome, right-handed layup with a minute left, Turner obtained the rebound and obtained the ball to Haliburton, who noticed Siakam forward and unaccounted for. The Knicks’ Josh Hart motioned for another person to take the Pacers ahead, however no one was in place to take action.

Haliburton’s lengthy cross led to a Siakam layup that will not have gone in … however Donte DiVincenzo knocked it away after it hit the glass, incomes an apparent goaltending violation and giving the Pacers two factors.

Pacers 106, Knicks 103 with 54.1 seconds to go.

Brunson by some means got here up with one other large shot, draining a step-back 3 to tie the sport with 41.1 seconds left.

3. Haliburton vs. Hartenstein pays off for the Pacers

The Pacers set 37 ball screens for Haliburton on Friday, based on Second Spectrum. Isaiah Hartenstein was the screener’s defender for twenty-four of these 37. Indiana didn’t rating very effectively (0.70 factors per likelihood) in that situation, however Hartenstein by no means regarded comfy attempting to comprise the opposing level guard.

Generally, he was compelled to change and obtained beat in isolation …

Generally Haliburton put him on his heels and drained a step-back 3 …

Generally, he didn’t comprise Haliburton, permitting for a drive-and-kick help …

Haliburton completed with 35 factors on 14-for-26 taking pictures, together with 8-for-10 within the paint.

After Brunson’s game-tying 3, the Pacers once more obtained the ball up the ground shortly. As he crossed the midcourt line, Haliburton obtained DiVincenzo leaning with a hesitation transfer, so Siakam (being defended by Hartenstein) didn’t must set a display screen.

Hartenstein was compelled to change however was once more on his heels. With 35 seconds left, Haliburton noticed the chance for a two-for-one shot, so he let it fly.

Extra essential than the time on the clock was that the Knicks’ largest participant was 25 toes from the basket as Haliburton’s shot hit off the again of the rim.

4. Knicks begin massive, play (principally) small

With OG Anunoby (hamstring pressure) out, the Knicks began Valuable Achiuwa alongside Hartenstein on the frontline, with Jericho Sims (who had by no means appeared in a playoff sport) additionally getting some first-quarter minutes.

However Sims’ minutes (all because the lone massive) had been restricted to the opening interval, and the Knicks had been outscored by six factors within the 16.6 minutes that Achiuwa and Hartenstein performed collectively.

They performed nearly twice as a lot (and had been a plus-1) with only one massive on the ground. However, with out Anunoby, that meant taking part in with 4 guys no greater than 6-foot-5 Alec Burks, who surprisingly performed 21 minutes and hit some massive photographs earlier than going 0-for-2 within the fourth.

When Haliburton’s shot for the lead hit off the again of the rim, there have been 4 Knicks within the paint, however all had been 6-foot-4 or shorter. The Pacers had three guys in there, all 6-foot-6 or taller.

The rebound bounced between 6-foot-6 Aaron Nesmith and 6-foot-1 Miles McBride. Nesmith’s attain allowed him to faucet the unfastened ball out to Nembhard.

After retaining simply 43.7% of obtainable rebounds by means of the primary two video games, Indiana was over 50% on Friday.

That they had 5 offensive rebounds and 7 second-chance factors (to the Knicks’ zero) within the fourth quarter.

The final of these seven was Nembhard’s 30-foot 3-pointer. After Nesmith’s tap-out, he obtained the ball to Haliburton, who was nonetheless matched up with Hartenstein. The Knicks didn’t like that and despatched a second defender.

“I put Drew in form of a nasty state of affairs,” Haliburton mentioned afterward. “He made an unbelievable shot. Huge, massive shot. He actually stepped up-to-the-minute after we wanted it essentially the most.”

Determined occasions. A determined shot. Bang.

5. Pacers reply Carlisle’s problem

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle had spoken pre-game about how robust it’s to win video games at this stage of the season, lauding the Knicks’ toughness and difficult his staff to match it.

“They’re 48-minute video games and you may’t be up 10 at halftime or 4 or 5 at halftime,” he mentioned, “and really feel you’ve achieved something in a sequence in opposition to these guys.

“They’re very strong-willed and it’s a protracted battle. Every sport, each possession is a monumental combat. We’ve obtained to combat higher.”

The Pacers once more led (by 5) at halftime on Friday. They usually blew that lead too.

However this time, that they had the final phrase.

“We talked about that each one sequence,” Haliburton mentioned. “How can we match that vitality, as a result of we’re gonna must if we wish an opportunity to win. Truthfully, we actually didn’t do this within the first two video games. I really feel like we did within the first half of the 2 video games. Within the second half of each video games, we obtained outworked.”

Within the two video games in New York, Josh Hart performed all 96 minutes and made massive performs down the stretch. On Friday, Nesmith chased Brunson round all evening and nonetheless had the vitality to get to that rebound.

And whereas it nearly appeared like Carlisle wished he was teaching the opposite staff earlier than Recreation 3, he was fast to reward his personal squad after the win.

“I’m actually happy with our guys,” he mentioned. “They’re going in opposition to a highly-experienced, very tough-minded staff that could be very motivated. They put us in an enormous bind within the second half. I’m actually happy with the way in which our guys hung in, saved combating, stayed the course, saved their feelings in examine.”

If the Pacers can do it once more in Recreation 4 on Sunday (3:30 ET, ABC), this sequence might be even.

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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You may e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and follow him on X. 

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