The volume all right, instant reaction on the Knicks narrow wind at home, trailed for much of the game, but made the big plays down the end and the fourth once again, the Nova trio combined for ninety two points, shot sixty percent from the field, fifty percent from three, and only sat for ten minutes. Indiana's a deeper team, you know, Indiana over a six or seven game series should be fresher in game six or seven. But the Garden's a tough place. I mean, I really felt for
long portions of the game Indiana. I felt like the Knicks were chasing the Pacers for three and a half quarters. But then the knickt the Vincenzo draws the foul, and that was the right call. They went to the replay. You know, people will say, I don't love it being called at that time. It's the right call, you know, whenever I hear well, I wouldn't call it in that moment. Well, okay, thirty seconds earlier, is it okay? Is it a minute earlier? Is it okay? You know it's the right call. So
the Pacers are a deeper team. But again, de Fanndenzo, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson. They all made huge plays down the stretch. I mean, Josh Hart is You're just not going to get many offensive nights like that from Josh Hart. But I will say this about the Knicks, especially in big spots, They're a very intentional team. They have almost no bad possessions and they're a limited offensive team, so they come down, they're very intentional. They get good looks.
I mean, Jalen Brunson is just too quick. His first steps insane for his size. He gets so many good shots. I mean he really does. He can really quickly separate. Indiana is going to be a handful. They're long, Miles Turner. They had a couple of the best dunks of the season, former nick Obi Toppin that was an ode to New York on that between the legs slam dunk and this Aaron Nee Smith also had one of the most vicious
dunks I've seen in the playoffs. But despite the bench early in the game, I wrote this down the bench points in the first half were Indiana twenty seven, New York won. So I keep saying to myself, how long can New York, you know, keep playing these guys maximum minutes? At some point they wear down, but they don't. They didn't against Philadelphia and the Knicks. There's a lot of self belief when you watch New York like they're a very confident offensive team down the stretch. I mean de
Vincenzo sort of a bounce around the league guy. Every time you let go of the ball late in the game, you thought it didn't playing with a ton of confidence, and that's what winning breeds and New York is playing. It feels like above itself. But we have to remember are they playing above themselves in the Eastern Conference against these teams? I mean, Indiana is young. You start looking at the East right now with Damon Honest missing their series most of it for Dame, I mean the Knicks.
I've watched all these teams. They look like the second best team in the East. I thought Philadelphia had more talent and beats hurt what's new, And they were the better team, especially in second half, especially in fourth quarters. So you know, I have copious notes here. You know, third quarter Nicks, I thought we're getting into a little trouble, and then New York starts the fourth with an eight
nothing run. Then later they have either a seven or a nine to nothing, run brunts and hits a big shot. So I think it like in football, we would call the Knicks a very good situational football team. They make the plays when you have to make the plays. And that's what I see when I watch New York. That Villanova hustle, effort, Brunson's unstoppable gets incredibly good shots effective.
You know, they pass the ball incredibly well. They they you know, it'd be easy to say the Knicks know what they're not, but they're playing with such belief right now. In the Eastern Conference, I don't know. I mean, Austin's deeper, better, has more high end talent, but when I watch New York play, I think their belief in a late game against the Celtics, I don't know. I mean, my concerns about Boston are late game situations. New York is money late.
They are great late. Just so many big shots, so many big runs. People are gonna talk about Devincenzo Miles Turner and that blocking call, but he was moving, and you know, I think in situations like that, you just you know. I don't love at the end of NBA games, how many reviews they have, but you got to get it right. They're pretty quick. There were three or four go either way plays that if you didn't have replay, that's all I talk about tomorrow and FS one that's
all I would talk about. But the replays get it right. And the New York Knicks made the big plays late and deserve to win. It's crazy, you know, they are right now the watch easily in the playoffs, and Indiana's got a good team. Halliburton's not as good as he was earlier in the season. They've got good length, They've got a tremendous bench. TJ McConnell. You know, for a little guy to make the league and not be able to shoot threes very well, it is strange. But he's
a bit of a thorn, you know. He he You know, you could see him later in the series being a thorn for the Knicks. But you know, these these basketball games in the playoffs are close, and a lot of it is do you have really intentional possessions, and they did, and New York's excellent defensively. They gave up a couple a couple of open jumpers in the second half, which
is rare for New York. But you know, I felt three quarters of the game, Indiana was going to win, no question, though five minutes left, I just felt like New York would make the big buckets at home, feeding off the energy at the Garden, which is incredible. I love watching New York play. I'm trying to think of a team that reminds me of this team, and I mean that that Miami team in the that was young and got to the final against the Lakers and lost.
That was a you know, you had some youth. You know, that was the year that a lot of the older teams in the bubble got injured, underachieved, and Miami was that rare young team that got into the playoffs and just played over at Skis. And but I you know, when I watch the Knicks, I keep waiting for reality with Josh Hart. You know, I look at his career average, I looked at the player he is or de Vincenzo,
and they keep making big plays in big shots. You know, I'm waiting for it to end, and it hasn't so big big win, especially off how exhausting that series was against Philadelphia. To come out with that kind of game and those kind of minutes the Villanova guys were worth ninety two points and only sat for ten minutes. Sixty percent on field goals, fifty percent on threes. That's crazy playoff playoff numbers. That's crazy on a Tuesday night in Orlando in January, when teams are coming off of back
to back and nobody's playing defense. To do it in the playoffs is insane. Instant reaction. The volume the NBA playoffs are heating up. Man, they have been so good. I know it's over, but Lakers Nuggets may have been a five game series. It was great, Nicks sixers amazing. Why don't you sign up for the DraftKings Sportsbook app takes ninety seconds, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. If you're in DraftKings. Once you sign up, you got
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