The New York Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Celtics 119-81. The blowout win secured a 4-2 series win for the Knicks, who entered the second-round NBA Playoffs series as big underdogs.
And while the Jayson Tatum injury sucked away most of the credit the Knicks earned in defeating the Celtics, it should be noted that Tatum was healthy for the majority of four of the six games, and New York went 3-1 in those games.
This marks the Knicks’ first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. And the Indiana Pacers are waiting for them. The Knicks played an uneven series against the Celtics, trailing Boston by double digits in each of the first five games. But Indiana and Boston are very different teams.
Indiana should be familiar to many on the Knicks. The Pacers eliminated a battered Knicks team from the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season in seven games. And New York was 2-1 against the Pacers this season.
But the playoffs are a difference beast altogether. New York’s strengths were on full display in Game 6—and Indiana surely took note. Let’s review two important keys to the Knicks’ Game 6 victory that New York will need to be in place to advance to the NBA Finals.
Knicks’ defense was on full display
The Knicks’ defense was a thing of beauty in Game 6. They schemed to stop Derrick White and (finally) held him to eight points and only two made three-pointers. They kept Jaylen Brown in check, holding him to 20 points before he fouled out late in the third quarter.
And their best defender, Mitchell Robinson, put on an absolute clinic. He rotated and disrupted pretty much everything the Celtics tried to do. He even defended all five positions on the same possession, rotating like a bat out of hell. And he ended up getting a steal at the end of the possession to boot.
Miles McBride also had a LeBron James-esque chase-down block that demonstrated his defensive abilities, which will be necessary in the conference finals given the strong play of Pacers guards like Andrew Nembhard.
The Knicks boast a versatile defense that is capable of locking in and locking down elite offenses. But it will be put to the test against the high-octane Pacers, who ranked in the Top 10 in the league in points, assists, shooting percentage, offensive rating, and pace this season.
An aggressive Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone for Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns was a man on a mission in Game 6, especially early in the game. He scored 12 of his 21 points in the first quarter. And his physicality and determination set the tone. He attacked the rim and made deliberate moves when isolated with pretty much any defender. That must happen consistently in the conference finals if the Knicks are to advance.
Towns is an obvious key for the Knicks. He’s supremely talented and, therefore, gets his numbers more often than not. But when he plays aggressively, the Knicks are a different animal.
One caveat with Towns being aggressive is the referees. Towns is officiated inconsistently. For example, he was called for an offensive foul on a three-pointer when his leg debatably entered the defenders space. That is called a defensive foul for most superstars.
Towns collects fouls even less predictably when attacking the rim. But he has to be smart and pick his spots based on how he’s being refereed. If he’s not getting calls going to the rim, he can turn to the mid-post, fadeaway, and three-pointers.
New York is eight games away from its first NBA title in more than 50 years. But they still have to take it one game at a time. And they must play their game, which means getting Towns involved and trusting their defense to do its thing. If they do that, the Knicks could very well be looking at an NBA Finals appearance. But it won’t be easy.
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