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Defensive holes result in 0-2 series hole for Pacers
🕑 Added 2024-05-09 21:22:12 +0000 UTCOn why there weren't enough stops and what else stopped the Pacers in Game 2 loss
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
A New York Knicks team that was already down by Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson scored 130 points against the Indiana Pacers while also sustaining injuries to Jalen Brunson, who missed time due to foot soreness in the first half, and O.G. Anunoby, who made an early exit and never returned with a hamstring injury during the third quarter.
That's the story from this game. Full stop. There were not enough stops -- especially when considering that the starters for the Pacers gave up a 20-2 run over a six-and-a-half minute span in the third quarter while also once again getting outscored 25-18 during crunch-time with comparably fresher legs as they attempted to throw the kitchen sink at Brunson and, in so doing, ended up springing a whole bunch of concurrent leaks elsewhere.
For an in-depth discussion of what led to the Pacers falling into a 0-2 hole on the road, Samson Folk is back to talk about the challenges facing the team on defense, what led to some of the untimely scoring lulls, and whether rotation changes should've been made.
Here are the relevant timestamps:
0:00 - Introductions
0:45 - Should T.J. McConnell and/or Obi Toppin have been in the closing lineup?
5:15 - What is gained or lost with McConnell guarding Brunson instead of Nembhard
11:27 - Dispelling of blame and acknowledging that the Knicks are playing really well
12:45 - Achiuwa guarding Siakam compared to Brunson defending Toppin
17:03 - Siakam's defense against Anunoby
19:33 - Offensive woes during the third quarter
22:40 - How effective was the half-court trapping against Brunson
27:16 - Toothless help defense and the stark contrast in commitment between both teams
29:07 - Thoughts on the officiating
32:20 - Defending Josh Hart one pass away
38:08 - Potential defensive adjustments
45:39 - Is T.J. getting more on-ball creation reps because of his playmaking or the off-ball spacing concerns, and why the answer says a lot about the team's current predicament
48:04 - Thank you and Goodbye
Comments
Caitlin Cooper
Thanks, Kyle :)
Kyle Taylor
Really liked your discussion about the Knicks knowing what they want and executing it vs. the Pacers lack of commitment to ~anything defensively. The clips of the help defense and (lack of) rotation were illuminating. All playoffs, I feel like I come away from your videos learning new things to watch for and appreciating the nuances of the game better. It's been great having you and Samson both sharing your insights about the team.
