Pacers Predicted to Cut Out Biggest Advantage vs Knicks

One of the biggest advantages the Indiana Pacers have had over their previous opponents is their depth. The Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers were more top-heavy, and the Pacers were able to take advantage by playing with great pace.

That advantage could prove tremendous against the New York Knicks as well, given head coach Tom Thibodeau has been running a small rotation and heavily focusing on the starters. The extra depth could mean the Knicks get fatigued quickly.

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However, the Knicks can also take advantage of the drastic difference in depth by almost always having better players on the floor. That could lead to the Pacers giving in a bit and trimming their rotation slightly.

In a Bleacher Report article of bold predictions for both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, Greg Swartz predicts the Pacers may be forced to cut their rotation to improve their overall talent on the floor throughout the game to match up better with the Knicks.

The Pacers have been playing 11 guys, with the bench consisting of Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, Thomas Bryant, Ben Sheppard, and Jarace Walker. Out of those players, the Pacers could easily cut Bryant, Sheppard, and Walker out of the rotation, especially if the Knicks take an early lead in the series.

However, the Pacers could fully embrace being different than most playoff teams and continue to play 11 guys. That would be a huge advantage over the Knicks, who will likely be playing seven guys. In terms of strategy, the decisions for rotation size for both teams could turn into a chess match between the two head coaches.

No matter what the Pacers decide to do, having the extra depth could turn out extremely valuable against the Knicks. Jalen Brunson, who will almost always have the ball in his hands, is adept at drawing fouls, meaning having extra players ready to go could prove valuable in some games.

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The final decision could come down to how the pace of play goes in the series. The Pacers like to play fast while the Knicks like to play slow, so whichever team can better dictate the pace of play could force Rick Carlisle's hand.

Game 1 will tell a lot about how the Pacers view the series as a whole. If players like Ben Sheppard and Thomas Bryant check in early, that means the Pacers believe in outlasting the Knicks in the series, despite not having home-court advantage.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.