Rest in the playoffs is a good thing, but too much of it can have a negative impact. While the Indiana Pacers will be ready for their upcoming conference finals matchup against the New York Knicks, this is a concern that may prove too much for the team.
The Pacers and Knicks will meet up for Game 1 on Wednesday night. Whichever team wins the series will make it back to the NBA Finals, where neither team has appeared in over two decades, so all eyes will be on both teams as they add another chapter to their historic rivalry.
By the time Game 1 tips off, the Pacers will have had eight days of rest. As for the Knicks, they will have only had five days of rest. While it may seem like a good thing for them on paper, getting too much rest in the playoffs could lead to rust and getting off on the wrong foot. Given how important each playoff game is, this is a risk for the Pacers that could be a big problem in the conference finals.
The Pacers are bordering the line between rest and rust
Of all four conference finals teams this year, the Pacers will have the longest wait before Game 1, and they are the only team with over a week removed from their last game of the second round. Only time will tell how the Pacers handle it, but rust is a very real thing in the playoffs, and the Pacers could be in trouble in that area.
Fortunately for the Pacers, if there is any team remaining in the playoffs who can work around too much rest, it is probably them. They played well coming out of the All-Star break in February, and they showed no signs of slowing down once the playoffs came around. Still, it will be important to monitor how they begin the series.
Starting on a high note is important in the playoffs. Each game is important, and teams typically do not have much time to right their wrongs in the playoffs. The Pacers have played well in every area through two series. Hopefully for them, this trend continues against the Knicks.
The Pacers and Knicks are about to be in for what should be a competitive series. Not only is there history between both franchises, but they each match up very well against each other. The winner of the series moves one step closer to winning an NBA title, and if last year's second-round matchup was any indication, both teams will do whatever it takes to make their dreams come true.