The Indiana Pacers took it to the New York Knicks in their series opener, taking game one 102-95 on the road in Madison Square Garden. New York played poorly in a number of areas and will need to make some key adjustments to reverse their fortunes in game two.
The Knicks relied too heavily on isolation plays for Carmelo Anthony on the offensive end, and he wasn’t able to come through for them in the first game of the series. Anthony scored 27 points in the game but needed 28 shots to do so, only making 10 of them. New York’s other offensive option J.R. Smith wasn’t much better, and was just 4-15 from the field himself.
New York was also pounded on the glass by the Pacers, with Indiana holding a 44-30 rebounding edge in the game. Knicks starting center Tyson Chandler even held to just three rebounds. The Knicks undersized front line doesn’t have the size to contend with the Pacers in the paint, but they will need an effort of the glass from their entire roster in order to close the rebounding margin in the second game.
Head coach Mike Woodson will need to revise their game plan for game two. Woodson should abandon the small lineup for such long stretches, get some size on the court to contend with Indiana’s front court and have his stars attack to paint more instead of settling for contested jump shots.
If the Knicks can make these adjustments, they should find themselves heading to Indiana with the series tied up one game a piece, making it anyone’s series to win.
