In a series where margins feel razor-thin, those around the league keep pointing to one simple truth: styles make series. And the team that dictates how this one is played may be the one booking a long-awaited trip to the NBA Finals.
“These are two teams built completely differently,” one scout told ESPN. “New York is top-heavy, and leaned further into that by trading for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns last summer. Indiana’s more balanced. They’re deep, and they wear you down.”
The contrast couldn’t be more pronounced. The Knicks want a grind. They want to play in the half court, with Jalen Brunson navigating traffic and possessions that feel like they’re played in mud. The Pacers want a track meet. Few teams have managed to maintain tempo in the postseason the way Indiana has — fast breaks, early offense, and forcing opponents to keep up or fold.
That identity has powered Indiana to four series wins over the last two playoffs. They don’t just outrun teams, they test their conditioning, depth, and willingness to chase.
On paper, there are matchups that cut both ways. Bridges figures to take on Tyrese Haliburton. OG Anunoby will likely be glued to Pascal Siakam. Towns and Myles Turner can both stretch the floor and protect the rim. It’s strength-on-strength, which means the margins—again—may decide this.
One of those margins? Whether Andrew Nembhard can hold his own defensively against Brunson, who torched Indiana last year in the conference semifinals.
“Can he do a better job on Brunson?” another scout told ESPN. “That could decide the series.”
Mitchell Robinson could be another swing factor. He was dominant on the glass and around the rim against Boston, anchoring New York’s interior defense. But Indiana wants to spread teams out and run, which could neutralize Robinson’s influence. The second-unit battle –Robinson versus Thomas Bryant — could tilt toward New York if the game slows, as expected.
Still, there’s a glaring statistical contrast heading in: Indiana’s starting five — Haliburton, Nembhard, Nesmith, Siakam, and Turner — has been the NBA’s most effective high-volume unit in the playoffs, with a staggering +22.1 net rating. The Knicks’ starters, by comparison, have been outscored in the postseason, and only mildly positive during the regular season.
In short, Indiana’s starters are fast, fluid and connected. The Knicks’ group has been effective in spurts, but hasn’t always clicked. That has forced New York into multiple double-digit comebacks this postseason, a dangerous game to play against a team that thrives when it’s running downhill.
This one has the feel of a classic throwback-versus-modern clash: power versus pace, brawn versus burst. Whoever gets to play on their own terms might be the one who gets to keep playing into June.
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