After blowing out the Knicks in Game 4, Pacers fans expected the same kind of effort in Game 5. It was an opportunity for them to capitalize on the momentum they generated and win one in the Garden. Then, they would have an opportunity to close out the series at home in Game 6.
Instead, the Pacers got absolutely blasted by a depleted Knicks team. It was a game that was never close following the first quarter. The Pacers got it as close as seven in the third quarter before the Knicks blitzed them. A 17-0 run in the third really buried Indiana and kept them from having any hope of winning.
So who are the two duds from this game? You could honestly put the entire roster on a dartboard, close your eyes, and throw a dart. That's how bad this game was. You could pick any one of the starters after the sheer number of offensive rebounds they allowed and how badly Jalen Brunson cooked them.
Tyrese Haliburton disappeared for the second time in this series for the Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton is our first dud. In the first half of this game, he had just four shot attempts and had two turnovers. He didn't work to get the ball when Indiana was inbounding the ball. He just stood in the corner when Andrew Nembhard brought the ball up the court. Haliburton didn't even try to come and get the ball.
By the end of the game, he had just 13 points. For a point guard who is a max player, he has to be more aggressive than this. He can't disappear when the lights get the brightest. He did the same thing in Game 1 of this series. I didn't expect to see that passiveness again in this series.
Speaking of Nembhard, he was the other dud in this game. Whenever he guarded Jalen Brunson, he got worked. That's nothing new in this series. Yet, Rick Carlisle continues to match them up Nesmith is resting or picks up a foul. His offense didn't make up for it either. Nembhard was just 4-10 for 11 points.
The one good player in this game was Myles Turner, and even he wasn't that great. He had a stretch right after halftime where he hit three consecutive three-pointers. It looked like Indiana might actually show some fight and come back. Instead, that was the only sign of life.
Turner got worked on the boards so even he wasn't that good. It was a horrible game for everyone in a Pacers uniform. They need to play better in Game 6.