The Knicks took command of the series with a Game 5 win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, but they will need an equally dominant performance on the road in Game 6 to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are three keys to New York’s victory…
Another Jalen Brunson masterpiece
Unlike the opening series against Philadelphia, this second round has been largely dependent on Brunson’s output.
He’s putting up 38.7 points on 54.4 percent shooting from the field in three wins and 22 points on 37.2 percent in their two losses.
If the Knicks want to seal the deal Friday, they’ll need a strong outing from their lead man. The good news is they’ve seemingly figured out how to effectively position him in this series, and the Pacers just don’t have an answer.
Indiana’s basically run out of one-on-one options with Brunson. Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton get incinerated on him, and while Aaron Nesmith looked like a decent solution for a moment, Brunson quickly figured him out as well.
It helps that New York is getting Brunson in comfortable sets, such as empty side pick-and-rolls, one-two pick-and-rolls with Miles McBride and double screens to get the defense working. Expect much more of this and Brunson’s off-ball game to ensure he stays hot in Game 6.
The Pacers may decide to have somebody else beat them and trap Brunson’s picks, but the Knicks should be prepared for this look. They’ve moved the ball well and gotten contributions from everybody this series, so they should rise to any gimmicks Indiana throws their way.
Dominate the boards
Wanting it more can sometimes seem like a cliche, throwaway analysis, but these games can come down to a handful of effort plays. New York’s done well to lead the pack here, and can’t let their foot off the gas in Game 6.
Indiana’s two wins in the series have come when they’ve won the rebounding battle, grabbing over 50 percent of the available boards. New York’s won every time the other way, including during their dominant Game 5, in which nearly half of the Knicks’ misses ended up as an offensive rebound.
That kind of relentless pursuit can take a team’s soul, as the Knicks have done in many games,…