The Pacers’ identity is no secret, and the Knicks have said as much since the start of the Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana likes to get out and run, play with speed, and rely on quick buckets to wear down their opponent.
The best antidote to such an attack is to prioritize getting back on defense, communicating your assignments, and limiting turnovers on the offensive end to prevent fast breaks.
The Knicks did none of that in game four, and their season is now on the brink because of it.
New York committed 17 turnovers on Tuesday night, allowing the Pacers to score 20 points off of those giveaways, and fast break points were 22-9 in favor of Indiana when it was all said and done. The turnovers were the story of the game, and the Knicks knew it.
“It's tough to win against a team like that who turns those turnovers to points,” Josh Hart said. “I had like four or five, just stupid turnovers.”
Hart finished with five turnovers as he continued to force passes inside, while Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each committed three turnovers of their own. Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game that the turnovers “fueled” the Pacers offense, playing right into their hands of how they like to play and when they’re at their best.
That has been the case for much of this series so far, hence the team’s 3-1 series deficit. Through four games, the Pacers have a sizable 65-23 edge in fast break points, and an even wider gap in points off turnovers, with Indy holding an 86-33 advantage in the series. If the Pacers’ greatest strength is playing with pace and generating quick buckets, the Knicks are letting them find their wheelhouse.
Given those numbers, the result shouldn’t be surprising.
Remarkably, despite that clear advantage, the Knicks have been in position to win games one and two and were within striking distance to begin the second half, but Brunson and Bridges each threw an errant pass in the opening minutes of the third quarter to quickly turn a five-point deficit into nine, and later in the quarter, after getting it back to five, Hart and Brunson committed turnovers on consecutive possessions, each resulting in two points for Indiana, bringing the Pacers lead right back to nine.
The result is a 3-1 series deficit, with Indy feeling more than comfortable with how the Eastern Conference Finals has been played so far.