KAT
It might be considered chasing ghosts, but Karl Anthony-Towns can rewrite perceptions of who he is as a basketball player.
KAT has gone from the self-proclaimed best-shooting big man in history to a player willing to play with some grit.
For the Knicks to succeed, KAT must continue his remake. That will start with staying out of foul trouble. There have been too many playoff games where KAT has had three fouls in the first half.
On offense, Tom Thibodeau can help KAT by calling some actions for him early on and in the second half. At times, the offense has forgotten KAT in the second half. That won’t be a successful script against an Indiana team that can put up points in bunches.
Three-Point Shooting
It’s not shocking that the Pacers are the best three-point shooting team in the playoffs.
Their three-point shooting is lethal because they are shooting 40.6% on only 34.7 attempts. With you factor in the pace (more on that later), it’s unsurprising that Indiana has come this far.
The Knicks’ three-point attempts and frequency are the lowest among the four remaining teams. That’s not shocking. If there is a saving grace, New York makes 35.8% from the three-point line.
Play the Long Game (Pace)
The Pacers’ pace of play has propelled them to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals.
It’s constant pressure on your defense after makes and misses. Part of the reason why the Knicks’ three-point shooting is so important is that many three-point misses produce long rebounds, and long rebounds become the first pass of Indiana’s fast break.
On the other hand, the Knicks must take advantage of Indiana’s quick possession misses. As the series goes on, the Knicks need to find a balance because this isn’t going to be a low-possession affair, and if it is, that doesn’t mean the advantage swings over to the Knicks.
Prediction:
Just like Minnesota, Indiana was here last season. The experience should count for something. Furthermore, as much as the Knicks’ run has been fun, the Pacers have been the best team in the playoffs.
Indiana in Six
