Indiana Pacers preparing for hard-playing New York Knicks in second round of playoffs

The Pacers and Knicks will battle in the second round

Feb 10, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against the New York Knicks. / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — A rivalry continues this week as the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks will face off in the second round of the NBA postseason. It's the eighth-ever series between the two franchises. They have a long history of playoff battles.

This year, the clash in styles will make the series special. During the regular season, Indiana ranked second in offense while New York was known for their defense — though the Knicks were a top-10 offense, too. The Pacers were second in pace while the Knicks were 30th. One team wanted to fly around and make the game about tempo. The other group hoped to slowly grind you down.

Now, for a best-of-seven set, both teams will try to impose their style and earn a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. "One of the hardest playing teams in the league," Pacers center Myles Turner said of the Knicks. "They work a lot on the offensive glass."

That battle on the boards will be one of the defining characteristics of the series. In the first round of the postseason, New York had the sixth-best offensive rating in the league, but they were 12th out of 16 teams in true shooting percentage. They ranked 11th in effective field goal percentage. A team that struggled to put in shots yet had such a great offense is unique, and it all came down to offensive rebounding.

In their series against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks pulled in 37% of their own missed shots. New York and the MInnesota Timberwolves were the only teams over 32%. That made the Knicks offense hum, and their defense has always been terrific. They dispatched Joel Embiid and company in six games.

"It's no secret how hard they play. It's no secret how hard everybody crashes the glass," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said of the Knicks. Indiana loves to play in transition, but they need to actually get rebounds to do so. Multiple Pacers players, as well as head coach Rick Carlisle, stressed the importance of hitting the glass to make sure the blue and gold can play their style.

"If we're rebounding and running, that can probably change for them. If they're killing us on the glass, that probably changes how much we run," Haliburton said. That battle could be one of the first things that leads to adjustments in the series.

Another could be the star guards. Haliburton and Jalen Brunson, two star floor generals who were teammates for Team USA last year, will be across from each other in this series, though they likely won't be defending one another. Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith will likely start the series with the Brunson assignment while OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart could all spend time on Haliburton.

How effective either of the lead guards can be will be important early in the best-of-seven set. Forcing the opposing team to adjust their coverage — like the Milwaukee Bucks had to do against Pascal Siakam in the first round against Indiana — can be the difference in a series.

Haliburton and Brunson still keep up with each other. They are friends, and they chatted on the phone just before the playoffs. But now, they are foes looking to push their teams into the conference finals.

The depth of the two teams could also end up being vital in the best-of-seven set. The Knicks are banged up and missing multiple important players due to injury, and they only had seven players suit up for Game 6 of their first round series. Indiana, meanwhile, had nine guys in their rotation and played even more in a blowout Game 6 victory.

That dynamic, especially given the speed of the Pacers, could be important. New York may need to dust off some deeper bench players, such as Alec Burks or Precious Achiuwa, to manage their minutes appropriately. But their top end talent is tremendous, and the Knicks starting five fits incredibly well together.

"We want to keep fresh bodies out there," Turner said of the battle with depth. Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith said it will be important for Indiana to play hard for 48 minutes. Depth could be a factor there, too.

"They play heavy minute guys, so we've just got to make sure that we be us and run. Use our depth," Nesmith said on Sunday.

These will all be defining characteristics of the series. If Brunson looks great again, the Knicks grab offensive rebounds, and their top-seven guys play well, then they will be tough to beat. Indiana will have to adjust and look for answers throughout the series.

Meanwhile, should the Pacers get out in transition, run, and wear down a thin New York team, then the series could swing in their favor. Haliburton's excellence will be important along the way — his stats weren't eye-popping in the first round, but he drew a ton of defensive attention and was an extremely effective player.

"It's a great team. They play really hard," Haliburton said of the Knicks. His star running mate in Siakam agreed, and he added that every game will be tough for 48 minutes.

Between the stylistic clash, history, and star power on both sides, this is set up to be an epic series. Both franchises have good reasons to believe they can win and move on, and their preparation will be key. It all begins on Monday in Madison Square Garden.

"We're looking forward to it. It's just a very intense matchup," Carlisle said. "That's the simple truth about it."

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• Myles Turner finally reached the conference semifinals after a winding career with the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers to face New York Knicks in 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals — Schedule, TV listings, and more. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers ability to adjust shines in Game 6 as they close out Milwaukee Bucks. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers crush Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 to secure first-round series victory. CLICK HERE.
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