'One of our better rebounders' Pacers rely on reserve to combat Knicks' Mitchell Robinson

Indianapolis Star

24-05-2025

NEW YORK — Tony Bradley entered this postseason knowing there was a chance he'd never be needed, but that he had to be ready just in case.
The Pacers signed the journeyman out of the G-League to a 10-day contract in March and eventually to a full-time deal because they needed a third center just in case. The Pacers were hit by two Achilles tendon tears to their backup centers James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson in the first 10 days of the season and spent the rest of the year scrambling to create depth behind starter Myles Turner. But third centers quickly become emergency options in the playoffs and they don't get minutes except for garbage time or foul trouble.
On Friday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, however, there was foul trouble because Knicks center Mitchell Robinson made it difficult to keep off the glass without fouling and both Turner and backup Thomas Bryant picked up two first-half fouls. Bradley had to step in and play meaningful minutes and deal with a player who was giving the Pacers trouble.
And Bradley gave the Pacers everything they could have asked for. He played four minutes in the second quarter and four minutes in the third and grabbed two rebounds, scored a point and posted a plus-1 plus-minus figure, holding down the fort just enough to help the Pacers win 114-109 to take a 2-0 series lead with two road games.
"Tony Bradley hasn't played in the series but he's one of our better rebounders," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We elected to go with him to spell Myles a little bit. We're a team that needs everybody. That's how we gotta play."
Prior to Friday, Bradley had appeared in just four playoff games — two Pacers wins and two losses that were decided by double figures on either side. He played a combined 17 minutes in those games, but he stayed ready for the moment when he'd be asked to do something meaningful.
"I just was ready when my name was called," Bradley said. "I work hard every day just staying in shape, just being a good teammate. I'm ready to just go hard. That's all I know."
Bradley was on the floor to start the second quarter and he grabbed a defensive rebound in the first minute and then grabbed another rebound before he checked out at the 8:02 mark. In that stretch, Robinson grabbed just one rebound. He checked back in with 4:18 to go in the third quarter and didn't allow Robinson a rebound before Bradley checked out near the end of the period.
"I was just focused on keeping Robinson off the glass," Bradley said. "Staying in contact with him, keeping a body on him, trying to get him tired."
Robinson still managed nine rebounds, including four on offense, but he had just six points. The Knicks outscored the Pacers 21-15 on second-chance points but the gap wasn't enough to be a problem.
Bradley's contributions didn't escape the notice of his teammates. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton made a point of dropping his name in his post-game news conference.