After going down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, darkness swept over and through the skyscrapers of NYC. And for good reason, as only 13 NBA teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit. Ticket prices were slashed at Madison Square Garden. Casuals got off the train.
But all hope was not lost. Celebrities dressed in their finest gear to frame the court for Game 5. The diehards filled the arena with energy and decibels. Oh, and the Knicks played well at both ends of the court, scoring the first six points of the game and never relinquishing the lead.
Now the series heads back to Indiana, where the Pacers lost only 11 times during the regular season and twice in this playoff run.
The Knicks made adjustments in Game 5. How will the Pacers adjust to the adjustments?
DraftKings Sportsbook has IND as four-point favorites over NYK at home with the total at 219. This is only the second time this series that the total has been under 220. In Game 4, Indiana was favored by three points and the total was 219. The Pacers won 130-121.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $500K Shootaround [$100K to 1st] (IND at NYK)
Captain’s Picks
Tyrese Haliburton ($16,800 CP): Haliburton had his first bad performance of the series in Game 5, and much credit must be given to the Knicks, as they applied more pressure on him defensively. They picked up Haliburton earlier, denied him the ball and made life difficult. Indiana has impressed me all season with how they’ve adapted. I have confidence that Rick Carlisle will make the necessary adjustments in Game 6. And I expect all the Pacers to play with much more energy than they exhibited in Game 5.
Two games ago, Haliburton was brilliant, putting up 84.5 FPTS. Last game, he was held to seven shots and six assists, good for 25.5 FPTS. I think he gets back into the 50-FPTS range
UTIL Plays
Jarace Walker ($1,000): After being a DNP in every game of the series, Walker was dusted off and received 13 minutes in Game 5. He drained two of four attempts from downtown while playing good defense. He grabbed a rebound, blocked a shot and nabbed a steal, good for 11.25 FPTS. I think Walker could get more minutes in this one, due to his length and versatility on defense while being able to space out the floor.
Jalen Brunson ($11,600): Brunson has had a usage rate of 33% in this series. Game 5 was the only contest that it was sub-30%, and that number clocked in at 28%. He is such a vital part of the Knicks offense and I see him going down swinging — win or lose. He’s put up at least 45 FPTS in every game but one, with a high of 60.75 FPTS.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,600): Towns is one of the most skilled and unique big men in the game. The only question is the aggressiveness. Well, outside of one game this series, Towns has answered the bell. The usage rate has been in the 29% range and he’s put up at least 20 points with 12 rebounds in four of the five games. That’s translated to at least 44 FPTS in four of five games with a high of 60 FPTS.
Fades
Andrew Nembhard ($6,800): Nembhard played 35, 37 and 38 minutes in the first three games. Since then, the playing time has been shaved to 29 and 27 minutes. He’s been getting hunted on defense and, over the last three games, he’s shot 6-of-26 (23%) from the field and 1-of-6 (16%) from downtown. This fade coincides with the Walker recommendation, as Walker could see 20 minutes if he plays like he did in Game 5.
THE OUTCOME
New York made some great adjustments in Game 5, played hard at home and deserved to win. As mentioned above, Indiana has been one of the best teams at adjusting to adjustments, and I think the Pacers take care of business in a hotly contested game and move on to meet the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals.
Final Score: Pacers 127, Knicks 121
