Can the Knicks bounce back after Game 1 collapse to the Pacers?
Can the Knicks bounce back after Game 1 collapse to the Pacers? | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor is joined by Jonathan Macri from Knicks Film School to discuss New York blowing a 17-point lead to Indiana before losing in overtime - and if the defeat will haunt New York for the rest of the Eastern Conference Finals. Hear the full conversation on 'The Kevin O'Connor Show' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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After this happens in game one, the way it's happened, like, where's your faith level that the Knicks can actually win this series like they did 2 or 3 decades ago when they beat Reggie Miller.
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Well, it is only a game one, and I do not doubt their mental fortitude to come back and and as much as any team is able to do, put this behind them.
The reason why I have some serious doubts is because I think Um, maybe, I don't, I don't want to speak for any Knicks fans, but like I, I, I think there were some in the Knicks fan base that maybe did not have the level of respect for Indiana that I had.
Um, now, we had a couple of people here in Knicks film school that actually picked the Pacers to win the series, so I, I don't, it's not on our end.
They're just such a good basketball team, and if you spot them a game that you have, it's less about.
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Can the Knicks come back and play well?
Can the Knicks make the tactical changes?
Can, you know, can they, can they figure out the defensive stuff?
It's more like you gave them, you gave them one of your wins.
And so now you have to not only get back that win, but you have to get 3 additional wins, you know, and that's, I mean, it's, it's just a tall order.
Um, I, I wouldn't put it past them, Kevin.
But if you're asking me right now, do, I mean, I picked the Knicks at 7 before the series.
If you're asking me right now, do I believe that they're gonna win?
I Sadly, I would say no, and I hope every Knicks fan throws that right back in my face two weeks from now if they end up winning the series.
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I would love nothing more, nothing would make me happier.
I mean, look, I, I, I, I think you nailed it right there.
I picked the Knicks in 7.
I said it was basically a coin flip series that is gonna be an epic, you know, Down on the Wire series did not see that coming in game one, of course, but, but ultimately I feel with This series, you're spot on.
They gave one of the coin flick games away.
They had a win, and they gave it away.
And so it's hard to feel a lot of faith because of out of respect to Indiana to your point.
And to say one more thing just about Indy and I, I, the last thing I want to be doing is gushing about this team.
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You know, Indy is not gonna give you an easy win.
I mean, clearly, because you know what?
Last night was probably the closest thing to it.
They're not gonna, they're not gonna give you the easy win.
And so you figure, you know, some series you get into and you're like, all right, there's gonna be a game where Team X shoots, you know, 40% from 3, and they're, and they're gonna, you know, have a, have a 15 or 20 point victory.
Like, I, I'm not accounting for that.
And I just think that the reason why I think the Pacers are so dangerous is because they could go down by 15 or 20 points.
They're still gonna play their style.
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They're still gonna go out there, they're still gonna play as the only way they know how.
Um, and, you know, it's almost like, you know, there's no more dangerous than, than somebody with nothing to lose.
They play like they have nothing to lose.
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