The Indiana Pacers are back in the conference finals, and it is because they have continued to rely on what worked in the regular season--their pace and energy. As they look to eliminate the New York Knicks in the playoffs for the second straight year, they must keep prioritizing full-court pressure and energy. If they do, a series victory would be all but confirmed.
The Pacers have the recipe to beat the Knicks
On paper, this conference finals matchup should be very close and intense. Only one game separated them in the regular standings, and both teams have talented rosters. What will determine the winner of this series is ultimately which team executes their gameplan better. While Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks have done a great job of doing that so far, Rick Carlisle and the Pacers have been even better.
What separates the two coaches and their overall strategies is their lineup usage. While Thibodeau has developed a reputation as a coach who rests his starters as little as possible, Carlisle has done the complete opposite for Indiana this postseason. Instead of trimming his rotation (which most coaches do in the playoffs), Carlisle has mostly kept it the same and is utilizing his bench often. This allows his top players to get as much rest as possible so that they are still effective when they are on the court.
Not only has that strategy worked out for the Pacers so far, but they can also use it to their advantage against the Knicks. Indiana relies heavily on defensive pressure, energy, and pace. Against a New York team that has already had two six-game series, this should easily wear them down and make things much easier. This is even more beneficial for the Pacers since the Knicks will likely continue playing their top guys as much as possible, meaning they will be the ones having to deal with the high energy and pressure.
The Pacers have the tools to send the Knicks home and advance to the NBA Finals, but it is just a matter of using them to their advantage. Fortunately for them, Carlisle has done exactly that all postseason, and there is no reason to believe he will not be able to do so once more against the Knicks.
New York is a fantastic team, and they are also in the conference finals for a reason. However, the Pacers should feel good about going up against them, especially if they continue to keep playing the brand of basketball that has gotten them this far in the first place.