INDIANAPOLIS – There’s not much value in analyzing last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, at least not within the framework of their upcoming rematch in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks bolstered their lineup with a few major additions, trading for Karl-Anthony Towns as part of a blockbuster three-team deal and adding Mikal Bridges over the offseason. They’ll also have 7-0 center Mitchell Robinson, who appeared in only one game during last year’s series and averaged 5.1 points and 5.9 rebounds through the regular season.
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It’s a different team at a different time with different dynamics, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Saturday. “There are a lot of new elements to it.”
There is one constant, though. And that’s the rebounding.
The winner of each game in last year’s best-of-seven marathon also won the rebounding battle.
This year’s Knicks are similarly active on the glass. They’re averaging 43 rebounds (12 offensive) per game during the playoffs, and rank second (first among active teams) at 17.3 second chance points per game.
By comparison, the Pacers are allowing 16.2 second-chance points per game in the playoffs and gave up 13.8 per game during the regular season.
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It’s a daunting problem, Carlisle said, praising New York’s “tenacity” with how they rebound. “They have a real system for doing it,” he continued. “(And) when they get second-chance points, their efficiency levels are unprecedentedly high. That’s going to be an enormous key to the series.”
Individually, the Knicks have four players averaging at least five rebounds per game in the playoffs, headlined by Towns (11.3), Josh Hart (8.5) and Robinson (6.8). Those players are “heavy on the boards,” Myles Turner said, highlighting their value in generating extra possessions (New York ranks second in total possessions this postseason at 1,158). “You can’t overstate the importance of rebounding.”
“It’s a hard-nosed team,” Turner later added. “They dictate the pace of the game and are going to play a half-court style. They have Hart and all those guys who do the dirty work. … We have our work cut out for us.”
Game one of the Eastern Conference finals between the Pacers and Knicks is slated for 8 p.m., Wednesday.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs Knicks: Rebounding battle key in Eastern Conference Finals