NBA Playoffs: (6) Indiana Pacers @ (2) New York Knicks, Game 5

My oh my, how the tables have turned in this Eastern Conference Semifinal, as the Pacers (47-35) have rallied to draw level with the Knicks after dropping the first 2 games in the Big Apple. As this series has progressed, it has become clear that this matchup has taken on the reflection of Indiana, one of the most prolific offensive teams in the NBA, leading the league in scoring (120.2) and operating at the second-fastest pace (101.7). Games 3 and 4 have seen the hosts shoot a blistering 52.0% from the field, including 41.3% from beyond the arc, all the while ousting New York by 12 points in transition and by a staggering 36 points in the paint. Sunday's 121-89 thumping may have been the final straw, as (HC) Rick Carlisle watched his charges overwhelm the visitors in an affair that they led by as many as 43 points. The home side shot 56.8% overall and 14-of-31 from three (45.2%), where the owned a 21-point advantage, while assisting on 31 of their 50 field goals and thriving in transition (22-5). 6 different players scored in double-figures for Indy, led by the revived Tyrese Haliburton (more on him shortly) with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, followed by Pascal Siakam (14/4/2) and a bench mob that totaled 57 points. The disparity in depth has helped lead to this leveling of the series, which should come as no surprise given that Indiana's reserves averaged 46.6 points throughout the regular season (1st Overall), reaching 40+ points in three of the four games in this series.

Things to Know: With this series deadlocked at 2 games apiece, the public appears to be so as well, with 52% of all wagers placed on the Pacers along with a roughly equivalent percentage of all money bet upon this contest as well. Indiana has been a solid play thus far ATS, posting a 49-41-2 record in that regard, equating to a net profit of 3.55 units. Carlisle's troops are 5-5 ATS in these Playoffs. Indy is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as an underdog, but that hasn't been the case when they've received points from the oddsmakers against the Knicks, who they are 2-8 ATS in such affairs. Furthermore, this is a team that is 1-7 ATS in their last 8 playoff games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5 points, while going 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games following a SU win of 10+ points. The Pacers have enjoyed playing at a faster pace in this series, averaging 117.5 points on 52.0% shooting overall and 41.5% from beyond the arc with a healthy 29.5 assists against one of the best defensive sides in the Association. Indiana has owned small advantages thus far in Fastbreak Points (+11) and Points off Turnovers (+9), but their biggest boons have been Points in the Paint (+50) and in terms of their bench, which outscored their counterparts by a staggering 74 points. Historically, this is a franchise that has NEVER (0-8) won a best-of-7 series after falling behind 0-2, which includes a 3-4 defeat to the Knicks in the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Statistically, when a best-of-7 series is level after 4 games, the victor of Game 5 has gone to win said series 82% of the time.

Playmaker to Watch: Who else but Haliburton? The NBA's leader in assists is the head of this proverbial snake but had struggled offensively in the postseason thus prior to this return to form. Dealing with back spasms in the previous matchup with Milwaukee, the All-Star shot just 43.5% from the field and 29.6% from three, with those struggles carrying over into the opener of the Eastern Semifinal. Haliburton could muster just 6 points on a meager 2-of-6 shooting (33.3%) in Game 1, though since that defeat has looked like the player he was before straining his hamstring midway through the campaign. In Games 2 through 4, the floor general has erupted for 29.7 points on an efficient 55.0% shooting and 45.9% from beyond the arc, with 7.0 assists in comparison to committing a scant 1.3 turnovers. It is no coincidence that Indiana's offensive onslaught has occurred alongside his resurgence over these last three games, as this series is being played more and more to the Pacers liking.

Meanwhile, what started out as a commanding 2-0 lead is gradually turning into a nightmare situation for the Knicks (50-32), who are desperate to reestablish their advantage in this series. Coming off such a grueling conquest of the 76ers in the previous round of the Playoffs, everyone pointed to this matchup being a clash on contrasting styles. The irresistible force versus the immovable object. Quality versus quantity. Style versus substance. Strength versus speed. Whereas their opponent thrives off pushing the tempo and utilizing their depth, New York is totally comfortable slowing it down and playing "in the mud". (HC) Tom Thibodeau's troops played at the slowest pace in the Association (95.2) and as a result allowed the second-fewest points overall (108.2). However, while this series has largely been played at their preferred pace (93.4), that hasn't translated to success, mostly due to a rotation that gotten smaller and smaller due to injuries. Though the Knickerbockers have managed to punish Indy on the offensive end, averaging 111.5 points on an efficient 47.8% shooting and 39.3% from downtown, they haven't been able to stop their opponent much at all, particularly in Game 4's embarrassing 89-121 defeat. After narrowly meeting defeat in Game 3, it was an open question as to when this group would run out of gas, with Sunday evening's affair offering a definitive answer to that query. The visitors were outscored 14-34 in the first quarter, where they could muster just 6-of-23 shooting (26.1%) and 1-of-8 from three (12.5%), and it just snowballed from there. When it was all said and done, the Knicks were 33.7% overall and 7-of-37 on treys (18.9%), with 18 assists opposed to 12 turnovers. Hell, if not for 15-point advantage from the charity stripe, this one would have been uglier than it was. (All-Star Guard) Jalen Brunson was the only starter to score in double-figures with 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting (35.3%), with the other two members of the famed Villanova Triumvirate, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart combining for 9 points on 4-of-19 shooting (21.0%). If there was a silver lining to be found, Thibodeau was forced to search for answers on his seldom-used bench, giving both Alec Burks and Miles McBride an opportunity to make an impression, which they did with a cumulative 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Things to Know: Even after getting pummeled in Game 4, the Knicks haven't lost much of the public's favor, with roughly 48% of all wagers placed on this pivotal contest siding with the residents of the Big Apple. New York has also been a solid play ATS this season, posting a 50-41-1 record in that regard, equating to a net profit of 4.45 units. Thibodeau's troops are also 5-5 ATS in these Playoffs. The Knickerbockers have covered 8 of their last 10 meetings with Indiana when favored by the oddsmakers. Much has been made of this team's lack of depth in this series, with Thibodeau utilizing a rotation of essentially 7 players; 5 performers have logged 33+ minutes per game thus far, including a pair at 40+, though injuries to O.G. Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson have forced the coach to dive deeper into his bench than he would prefer. Two of the most important defenders on the team, Anunoby suffered a strained left hamstring and is unlikely to return until Game 6 at the earliest, while Robinson was dealt a stress reaction to his right ankle, shelving him for the remainder of the Playoffs. Historically, this is a franchise that is 7-8 all-time when splitting the first 4 games of a best-of-7 series, including a 2-1 record against the Pacers in such series.

Playmaker to Watch: This simply has to be Brunson, folks. Prior to suffering a sore foot midway through Game 2, the All-Star Guard had carried the Knicks' attack with 35.6 points on 45.7% shooting from the field and 8.1 assists, while netting 8.4 free-throws per contest. In fact, he had strung together a whopping FOUR 40-point performances between series. However, the last two chapters of this tale with Indiana have seen him slowed considerably; Brunson has logged 22.0 points on a disappointing 37.2% shooting and a mere 18.2% from downtown, with 5.0 free-throws, and an increase in turnovers (3.5) in comparison to dishing out fewer assists (5.5). With Thibodeau's rotation shrinking with each passing game, Brunson must find the energy to will himself to be the playmaker that he was earlier in this series. Otherwise, the momentum will have shifted away from New York for good.

Our Take: Pacers 115, Knicks 110