The New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers are currently dueling it out in their series opener and there was plenty of hype heading into the matchup. Firstly, it had something to do with their players. After years of seeing the same faces dominate the East, fans will be getting a fresh marquee matchup with names such as Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton. Secondly, each squad has performed much better than they've had in recent years, as seen in their respective playoff seedings and their first-round wins over heavyweights such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Last but not least, who can forget those rivalry playoff matchups in the 90s — this series has plenty of history. Amid all the discussions on the upcoming clashes, well-known analyst Stephen A. Smith recently gave a prediction.
“I'm going to pick the Knicks in six,” Smith said, via First Take on ESPN. “I believe they will win this series but it doesn't mean that they don't make me nervous.”
As to why Smith gets nervous, it's all because of the Pacers' fast-paced style of play.
“Indiana…was the leading offense in the NBA with more than 123 points per game. They were the only team in the league to shoot 50% or better from the field this season. I think they're number two in pace with 102.1 possessions per game. The New York Knicks are dead last, at about 95.9 (possessions per game). And that concerns me because it's one thing to sit up there and say that the New York Knicks will slow the ball; it's another thing to remind us all (that) they absolutely must do so.”
“You cannot run with the Pacers,” Smith added.
Smith is quite accurate here. The Pacers are one of the best running teams in the league. Aside from the aforementioned possessions, Indiana ranked fourth overall in both fastbreak points (16.6 per game) and points off turnovers (17.7 per game) during the regular season. The Knicks, on the other hand, are near the middle of the pack in those two categories.
The Knicks' blue-collar style of play
Nevertheless, New York is a gritty team, and Stephen A. Smith made sure to remind the general public about this.
“You have to crash the boards; you have to dominate the boards. You have to limit them (Pacers) to one shot as often as you possibly can, and you have to control pace. I've got the Knicks winning in six because I believe in Jalen Brunson. I've got the Knicks winning in six because I believe in their toughness, their grit, along with their defensive prowess.”
New York may not run as fast as their opponents, but they sure make up for it in other ways, such as their ability to control the glass. The Knicks are the top offensive rebounding team in the NBA, ending the regular season with 12.7 per game. They're also number two in second-chance points (16.3 per game).
In the playoffs, they've taken it up a notch, hauling down league-leading numbers of 14.5 offensive boards per game and 19.2 second-chance points per game. Defensively, the Knicks also spearhead the league in the postseason with the least amount of opponent points in the paint (36.3 per game) while holding the highest average in blocks (7.2 per game).
New York's blue-collar style of play down low will be a defining factor in this series, and the Pacers surely know that a physical storm awaits them.
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