INDIANAPOLIS, IN – When Halliburton’s bounce from hell dropped in Game 1 and the Knicks lost, I didn’t think they would recover. They still might not, but after an improbable Game 3 comeback win, we have a series. Game 4 tonight is another must-win road game. Can the Knicks regain home court advantage with another one? Here’s a few things I’ll be watching.
The Brunson and Kat Combo
The Knicks don’t seem to be able to play their two best offensive players at the same time for too long. The Pacers are relentlessly attacking them. 
The Game 3 comeback came mostly with Brunson on the bench. And as good as he was offensively in Game 1, the Knicks built the big lead with him on the bench in foul trouble. If they had kept him out a big longer, they probably would have won that game. Deuce would have been able to contest some of those open Nesmith threes.
Unsung Hero
If I told you that only Knick had a plus rating in all three games, you might be surprised to learn that Knick is Dooooouce McBride. Thibs needs to find a way to get him more minutes. He’s a rock-solid defender and a flammable offensive contributor. Thibs seems hesitant to play him too much with Brunson, and have two shorties on the court together.
D-Fence
The surprise insertions of defensive-minded Delon Wright and Landry Shamet reeked of desperation at first, but the D-focused line-up flummoxed the Pacers. More of that please. Kat was also much better on D in Game 3. Let’s win ugly with 100 points instead of scoring 120 and losing.
Public Enemy #1
Halliburton’s lame choking antics and handing the ball to Kat in Game 1 makes him easy to hate. Can we reinstate Oakley for a quarter? Get that sorted out please. The guy seems like a real pud, unlike Josh Hart.
All Hart
We need less of that guy, and his doofus father, and more of awesome Josh Hart quotes like this:
“It was funny, everyone was saying things to me (about it). Guys were texting me on other teams. I’m like, brah, I don’t care. I don’t care if I start. I don’t care if I play 20 minutes. If we win, we win.”
“Whoever won the championship five years ago, you have no idea who the starters are,” Hart said. “You know that those guys won and they have that camaraderie and that connection for life. It doesn’t matter how many points you score. It doesn’t matter how many minutes you play. It doesn’t matter if you start. It depends on if you win. And at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing for me.”
That’s what it’s all about, folks.
Rule Change Needed
Teams should not be able to call consecutive time outs. No other sport allows this, and it should be changed immediately. If a team calls a time out to draw up a play and then can’t get the ball in, there is no way they should be allowed to call another time out to bail them out. First off, there are already way too many stoppages at the end of NBA games. Second, it would be more fun because teams would have to throw it to someone and there would be an increased risk of turnovers and fun comebacks. Change it now!
Let’s gooooo Knicks. And come back tomorrow for another guy who’ll do anything the coach needs, Angry Ward.
