The Eastern Conference Finals series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers currently stands at 3-1 in favor of Indiana. While multiple factors contribute to this lead, one stands out above the rest.
In a matchup featuring All-NBA point guards Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton, the difference in their impact has been clear. (Hint: it`s the player who delivered one of the most impressive offensive performances in playoff history in a game that brought the Pacers within one win of their first Finals appearance since 2000).
“His ability to play both on and off the ball is so unique,” commented a Western Conference executive about Haliburton. In Game 4, Haliburton became the first player in playoff history to record 30 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and zero turnovers since tracking began in 1977-78.
“It allows him to be Steph Curry-esque,” the executive added.
While Haliburton has many achievements yet to reach to match Curry`s career (two MVPs, four titles, all-time 3-pointers leader), he similarly forces defenses to constantly account for him from anywhere on the court. Leading the Pacers` offense, Haliburton often presents defenses with a comparable challenge. This is partly because, unlike the Knicks` approach centered around Brunson, Haliburton directs a more balanced, “equal opportunity” attack.
“[Haliburton is] pushing the pace, running dribble handoffs, executing pick-and-rolls – he gets everyone involved,” explained a Western Conference scout. “This encourages players like [Aaron] Nesmith to commit defensively because they know they`ll get touches and shots.”
“I didn`t anticipate this level of leap from [Haliburton],” the scout continued. “He`s shown so much more simply by making his teammates better. Those guys have all been put in positions to succeed. They are the best versions of themselves right now because they`ve been given confidence and optimized roles.”
Coaches, scouts, and executives praised Brunson throughout the series. However, his strong individual statistics (33.3 points and 5.5 assists on 48% shooting) are somewhat diminished by his four turnovers per game, nearly triple Haliburton`s rate.
Despite the Knicks` heavy reliance on this season`s NBA Clutch Player of the Year, that strategy makes New York somewhat easier to game plan against over a seven-game series.
“I admire Brunson greatly. But I`m not certain you can win a championship with a ball-dominant player like him,” stated the West executive.
“There`s a ceiling on how far he can take you because the team must play according to his style,” the scout added. “Players like that need a specific type of teammate alongside them.”
This was one key observation shared by coaches, scouts, and executives regarding this compelling Eastern Conference Finals series. Here are additional insights, including an early look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, the formidable opponent awaiting the East champion in the NBA Finals.
Indiana`s Lack of Exploitable Weaknesses
In an 82-game regular season, success often comes from leveraging individual strengths to overpower opponents. With limited preparation time, relying on proven methods is often sufficient for regular season wins.
The playoffs, however, challenge this approach. Winning frequently depends on minimizing weaknesses and preventing opponents from exploiting lineup deficiencies.
Beyond Haliburton`s brilliance, the Pacers` supporting cast has been a frequent topic of discussion, particularly their starting lineup. Indiana has surrounded their star with four players – Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner – who are all above-average defenders capable of spacing the floor.
“The Pacers continue to surprise me,” a scout remarked. “Not that they`re succeeding, but *how* are they doing it? They can attack in so many ways and are solid across the board.”
“They genuinely have no weaknesses,” the scout concluded.
A notable aspect of Indiana`s playoff run, as they`ve defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers and are close to doing the same to the Knicks, is that their Haliburton-led five-out spacing – especially the shooting threats from Pascal Siakam at power forward and Myles Turner at center – appears capable of dominating Eastern Conference defenses for years to come.
“Assuming they retain Myles, they are a remarkably complete team,” an assistant coach observed. “They possess size and physicality at every position. And it`s sustainable given the favorable contracts their players are on.”
All starters except Turner are under contract for at least the next two seasons, and the team controls the contracts for most of their reserves.
New York`s Primary Weakness Exposed
While the series outcome would likely differ without the Knicks` collapse in Game 1, it`s undeniable that the combination of Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns has been a vulnerability the Pacers have repeatedly targeted. According to tracking data, Brunson defended 25 screens involving Haliburton as the ball handler in New York`s Game 4 loss – the highest number an individual player has defended against Haliburton in a playoff game in his career.
Despite Brunson`s excellent season, it`s also clear that New York`s only significant fourth-quarter runs in the series (in Games 1 and 3) occurred with Brunson on the bench. This meant the Brunson-Towns pairing was not on the court, denying Haliburton and the Pacers an obvious target in pick-and-roll actions.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle hinted at this after Game 3, stating that New York had “better defensive players” on the court during those stretches.
“If you`re going to play a shooting five [like Turner] and also have Towns and Brunson out there together,” an assistant coach commented, “it`s going to be challenging defensively.”
New York features two All-NBA players in Brunson and Towns, a strong trio of wings in Hart, Anunoby, and Bridges, and solid reserves like Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson (who started for Hart from Game 3 onward).
However, the specific blend of strengths and weaknesses on the Knicks roster has struggled to match Indiana`s overall balance, leading to New York`s current disadvantage.
“They`ve overachieved,” an executive said about the Knicks. “I never particularly liked their team composition. I believe there`s a ceiling with Brunson, and they might have overpaid for Mikal [Bridges in the trade last summer]. OG [Anunoby] has been great, but he`s limited in what he can do.”
“They might have the better collection of individual pieces, but the fit is better for Indiana, and their style of play is more effective,” the executive concluded.
The Challenge from the West
Whether New York manages a miraculous 3-1 comeback or Indiana seals the series, a colossal task awaits either team: slowing down the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder convincingly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 and the second time in franchise history.
Back in 2012, it seemed OKC`s Finals appearance with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden would be the first of many. This serves as a reminder to be cautious about anointing the current Thunder team as the clear Western Conference favorite for years to come. However, that caution is almost the *only* reason for doubt after witnessing this incredibly young team consistently improve throughout the playoffs.
“Game 4 delivered the strongest message to the rest of the league,” a scout said about Oklahoma City`s impressive win in Minnesota. “I watched it and felt scared [about their future dominance]. They are good, and they`re only going to get better. That was the moment where it became undeniable: `Okay, they are *really* good.`”
Another key reason for confidence, in the eyes of rival scouts and executives, was Oklahoma City not only surviving a tough seven-game series against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets but doing so after staging a furious fourth-quarter comeback in Game 5.
“I anticipate them winning the whole thing now,” another scout stated. “There was some doubt due to the usual narrative about young teams needing to `go through trials.` But especially after getting past Denver and defeating the best player on the planet, the expectation is now that they will figure out how to win it all.”
