The Big Apple’s basketball brigade, the fabled Knickerbockers, and the indomitable Hoosier State hardwood heroes have rekindled their playoff rivalry in the 2024 NBA postseason. With the series delicately poised at 2-2 after Indiana’s resounding triumph in Sunday’s Game 4, the stage is set for a pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday night.
The Pacers’ emphatic victory on Sunday saw them protect their homecourt dominance, extending their unbeaten streak at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to 5-0 in these playoffs. The Knicks, however, had been no strangers to nail-biting finishes until their lopsided loss in Game 4, where they found themselves trailing by a cavernous 20-point gulf after the first quarter alone.
With Mitchell Robinson sidelined for the series and OG Anunoby’s absence spanning the last two games, the undermanned Knickerbockers face a Herculean task as they return to the hallowed grounds of Madison Square Garden for Game 5.
This renewed rivalry between the Knicks and Pacers harkens back to their storied clashes between 1993 and 2000, where legendary names like Miller and Patrick Ewing etched their names in playoff lore. While the protagonists have changed, with Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton now taking center stage, the stakes remain equally monumental – a coveted berth in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Knickerbockers vs. Hoosier State Hardwood Heroes Schedule and Scores
All times Eastern | * If necessary
- Game 1: Knickerbockers 121, Pacers 117 — New York leads 1-0
- Game 2: Knickerbockers 130, Pacers 121 — New York leads 2-0
- Game 3: Pacers 111, Knickerbockers 106 — New York leads 2-1
- Game 4: Pacers 121, Knickerbockers 89 — Series tied 2-2
- Game 5: Tuesday, May 14 — Pacers at Knickerbockers, 8 p.m., TNT
- Game 6: Friday, May 17 — Knickerbockers at Pacers, TBD, ESPN/fubo
- Game 7*: Sunday, May 19 — Pacers at Knickerbockers, TBD
Knickerbockers vs. Hoosier State Hardwood Heroes, Game 5
Where to Watch the Spectacle
Time: 8 p.m. ET | Date: Tuesday, May 14 Location: Madison Square Garden — New York TV channel: TNT | Streaming: Watch TNT, Max
Storylines
Can the Knickerbockers summon sufficient reserves to secure two triumphs in the remaining three encounters? With a mere two-day respite between Games 4 and 5, their starters did enjoy an extended period of repose on Sunday after the lopsided defeat. Brunson’s shooting touch seemed to desert him in Game 4, with his attempts consistently falling short. Donte DiVincenzo, after a scorching streak of five or more three-point conversions in four consecutive games, could only muster one successful attempt from beyond the arc. Josh Hart, who had averaged a Herculean 46.4 minutes per game prior to Sunday, managed a paltry two points and three rebounds.
“We are disheartened, but we cannot wallow in self-pity. We must address our shortcomings and muster the will and determination to respond to this setback. This team has risen to every challenge this year, and we expect no less on this occasion,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau remarked to the media after Game 4.
Prediction
Opening series odds: Knickerbockers -265, Pacers +210
Series odds after Game 4: Knickerbockers +120, Pacers -145
The Pacers should be poised to capitalize on the Knickerbockers’ lack of depth, a void that has been palpable in the absence of OG Anunoby over the last two games. As my esteemed colleague James Herbert astutely observed after Indiana’s Game 4 triumph, the Pacers are the last adversary one would wish to encounter when beleaguered by injuries to key personnel. With that in mind, I prognosticate the Pacers to emerge victorious in Game 5, for as well-conditioned as the Knickerbockers may be, the cumulative toll of those grueling minutes is bound to manifest in this series. The Prophecy: Pacers -2.5
