Knicks earn another night in Indianapolis

The only people the Pacers let down on Thursday night were those who already wrote their column. The one sending Indiana to its first NBA Finals in a quarter-century with a win in New York, over the franchise which hasn't hit a Finals since the last century.

The Pacers did not win Game 5 because there is no countering the desperation of a cornered mammal. And for the third game in a row, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau threw nine cerebral basketball players out there to perform as Knicks. Nine people who probably don't prefer my cornered rodent scenario.

I didn't have to give away that it was a rodent this whole time.

To quote Pascal Siakam, "it's OK." Rodents are noble, the Knicks are noble, possibly overachieving. Similarly letting nobody down even when giving away leads, even when falling behind 3-1 to a bunch of ploughboys.

New York didn't play above its li'l rodent head while winning Game 5, but there was a bit of blind movement in its execution. Eyes on nothing until they're on the rim: Jalen Brunson (32 points), Karl-Anthony Towns (24 points).

That's all. Knicks were quicker to buckets because they didn't want to stop playing basketball. Pacers tried to respond but missed a few, strong looks Indiana would like back. This series was always close.

The visiting team pulled the goalie late – Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin's defense out there at the same time – and made a charge, but New York did not stop hitting tough field goals. New York did not turn it over in ways which led to easy Pacer buckets, New York's defense continues to preen while at home.

And KAT? KAT had the entire Special Victims Unit standing up, cheering from the first quarter until the final forty seconds. He had the guy in the Cleanthony Early jersey buying drinks, from a server at least 40-feet away, no matter the cost.

The Pacers' special ability to compile 10-2 runs never let loose. New York literally got in Indiana's way, Indiana thought it kept trying but they'll watch the tape. Not on every possession.

And Indy didn't take advantage of what was available. Good looks. Josh Hart needlessly improvising defensively. A large Knick lead throughout, but a tense atmosphere for nearly as long. Game 5 rarely felt like its score, in a way which did not favor the home team.

Indiana tried to make up for mistakes with individual plays but could not, a huge lineup of Myles Turner and Siakam and Jarace Walker was introduced but hilariously all they could do was launch threes. Please play that again at the show on Saturday.

And Kevin Harlan had to spend all Thursday night making up for TNT graphic accidentally announcing an NBA Finals start on Thursday June 6th, not the 5th. Thursday is the 5th, not the 6th. I don't know what today is.

Clearly, nobody was ready for the series to end. The Knicks should feel blessed with vigor heretofore unknown, little dollops of Landry Shamet and Delon Wright going a long way. Jalen Brunson worked but 33 minutes in Game 5 and for once it wasn't because he was skunked with foul trouble.

That helps on Saturday, in Game 6, when the Pacer crowd will be nearly as nervous as the players. The crowd was similarly on edge in Game 4, the home team potentially minutes away from blowing an 0-2 series lead with two blurts in the building Indiana is better in. So the Pacers played better, did not let up, Haliburton at the rim more times in Game 4's first quarter than the whole of Game 3.

This must return in Game 6, or there will be a Game 7. Thibodeau introduced the idea of "rest" and "rotations" into New York Knick basketball recently, there is still enough time for the Knicks to catch wind. Otherwise, we'd count New York out. Postseason debts accrue when you only play seven players a game through the first two and a half rounds.

New York lost in Game 4 but the nine-man experiment will be in its seventh day on Saturday, its fourth game. During Game 6, Indiana may not work against the same, sullen legs it slicked past in Games 1 and 2.

Sweaty seconds add up, a reason Rick Carlisle ripped those starters off the floor two minutes earlier than Thibodeau on Thursday night.

On Thursday, Indy acted like it was always going to play on Saturday. Not a good visualization for New York to run up against.

The Knicks own the victorious sense memory from Game 3, plus all those missed chances from Game 4, but the Pacers will have all the spread a win requires: Indiana will fly out an entire Big 3 lineup (Travis Best, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington) and half a pack of 1990 Hoops cards (Derrick McKey, Rik Smits, the Davis Bros.) to support the franchise.

And the Pacers will field Myles Turner, the greatest Indianapolis 500 name in NBA history.

They will field him and all manner of mensches and Indiana will not help but fall back into rhythm and it may not matter, because 25-footers are hard, and an inexplicably refreshed Knick team has a bead on the goal.

Game 6 in Indianapolis at 8:00 PM local on Saturday on TNT

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