“They killed us on the rebound, probably more than in any other game in the series. We didn't match their level of intensity all evening. » Tyrese Haliburton makes a harsh but fair observation, and sums it all up in one sentence.
The first quarter provided the first proof of the Knicks' domination under the circle, with a battle won 13-5. The second quarter is in the same vein, 14-6. The Knicks therefore scored 13 points on a second chance in the first period, and Rick Carlisle's repeated timeouts did not stop the bleeding.
“It’s a simple desire to go get the ball”, explains the Pacers coach. “Go to contact and catch the ball. It's like that. We didn't do it and we paid the price. »
No bounces, no transitions
Tom Thibodeau's troops therefore finished with 53 rebounds, including 20 offensive, in this victory. That's 24 more (!) than the Pacers, limited to 29 catches.
Obviously, with 20 offensive rebounds, the Knicks were able to take 29 more shots than Indiana. Above all, grabbing offensive rebounds means nipping the restarts of Tyrese Haliburton and his gang in the bud.
“We shine when we can run and play fast. It's difficult to do it when you have to get the ball out after a basket every time,” laments the All-Star point guard. “What hurt us offensively was the rebounds, because we were never able to play transitions. The better we are at rebounding, the better we will be at running. »
In addition to the rebound limits, we must add 18 lost balls on the Indiana side. By leaving so many additional possessions to their opponent, the Pacers could only dig their grave…
“We were destroyed on rebounds and on lost balls. We gave 20 offensive rebounds and 29 more shots,” insists Rick Carlisle. “We are all responsible. It was really embarrassing, really. We learned a big lesson. »
