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

• Obtain the NBA App

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 received by the house crew.

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

1. This sequence lastly acquired 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 via the primary three quarters of Recreation 3.

Then, it lastly acquired ugly.

Main 98-89 with lower than 10 minutes left, the Knicks scored simply eight factors on their last 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, capturing simply 5-for-13 within the paint, seemingly feeling the results of the suitable foot damage he suffered within the first half of Recreation 2.

“I want I might’ve performed a bit higher,” he stated 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 all the things on a nook 3 with a bit greater than six minutes left. Nembhard, the eventual hero, missed two nice seems to be on the identical possession with lower than two minutes to go.

The Pacers had not been excellent 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 last interval.

2. Haliburton passes forward

The Pacers ranked second in tempo this season, and Haliburton definitely likes to rise up and down the ground. However he doesn’t have to do all of the work himself. He’s at all times searching 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 tricky, right-handed layup with a minute left, Turner acquired the rebound and acquired 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 person was in place to take action.

Haliburton’s lengthy move led to a Siakam layup which 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 in some way got here up with one other enormous 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 seemed snug attempting to include the opposing level guard.

Generally, he was compelled to modify and acquired beat in isolation …

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

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

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

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

Hartenstein was compelled to modify 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 necessary than the time on the clock was that the Knicks’ greatest participant was 25 ft from the basket as Haliburton’s shot hit off the again of the rim.

4. Knicks begin massive, play (largely) small

With OG Anunoby (hamstring pressure) out, the Knicks began Treasured 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 enjoying 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 free ball out to Nembhard.

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

They’d 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 acquired 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 type of a nasty scenario,” Haliburton stated afterward. “He made an unbelievable shot. Massive, massive shot. He actually stepped up to date once we wanted it essentially the most.”

Determined instances. A determined shot. Bang.

5. Pacers reply Carlisle’s problem

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle had spoken pre-game about how powerful it’s to win video games at this stage of the season, lauding the Knicks’ toughness and difficult his crew 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 stated, “and really feel you’ve finished something in a sequence in opposition to these guys.

“They’re very strong-willed and it’s an extended battle. Every sport, each possession is a monumental battle. We’ve acquired to battle 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 every one sequence,” Haliburton stated. “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 acquired 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 seemed like Carlisle wished he was teaching the opposite crew earlier than Recreation 3, he was fast to reward his personal squad after the win.

“I’m actually pleased with our guys,” he stated. “They’re going in opposition to a highly-experienced, very tough-minded crew that could be very motivated. They put us in a giant bind within the second half. I’m actually pleased with the best way our guys hung in, stored preventing, stayed the course, stored their feelings in examine.”

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

* * *

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

The views on this web page don’t essentially mirror the views of the NBA, its golf equipment or Warner Bros. Discovery