Latest news with #Nembhard
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Finals: Thunder and Pacers are the modern blueprint of what winning looks like
The deeper we go into the NBA Playoffs, the more one truth gets hammered home: If you've got a guy on the floor who can't shoot or defend, he's getting exposed and you're probably getting sent home. But the 3-and-D archetype with the guy who just stands in the corner isn't quite enough anymore. All players on the floor must ideally be able to dribble and make quick decisions. That's why the Boston Celtics won the title last year. Sure, they had stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But they also surrounded them with well-rounded pieces. When Tatum and Brown were sharing the floor with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford, everyone could shoot and make a read, and nobody was a defensive liability. Even with bench units, there was no obvious weak link. Advertisement The same blueprint is playing out this season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers facing off in the NBA Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and at least one of Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, or Cason Wallace have shared the floor for 88% of Oklahoma City's playoff minutes. In 176 of those minutes, at least four of them have played together and, during that time, the Thunder have outscored opponents by a staggering 18.1 points per 100 possessions. Every single one of those guys can defend, process the game fast, and create offense either for themselves or someone else. SGA is the hub, but OKC's success hinges on the fact that nobody else gums up the system. Dort cuts. Wallace connects. Caruso makes instant reads. There's no ball-stopper, no spacer who can't dribble, no defender the Thunder can't trust to ferociously execute a game plan. Even OKC's bigs fit the mold: Chet Holmgren can shoot, pass, and handle. And while Isaiah Hartenstein doesn't shoot 3s, he plays with elite feel as a finisher and facilitator. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration) Indiana functions similarly. Tyrese Haliburton is their engine, but the pieces around him — Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner — are all skilled enough to play with tempo, precision, and relentless energy. And they all shoot the hell out of the ball: Nembhard, Nesmith, Siakam, and Turner are all shooting over 40% from 3 on over three attempts per game in the playoffs. Everyone can eat in this system. Nesmith of course had his all-time hot streak to fuel a historic Pacers comeback in Game 1. Siakam went off for 39 in Game 2 and 31 in Game 6 against the Knicks, winning himself East Finals MVP. Nembhard has had separate games with over 20 points and over 10 assists while playing lockdown defense. Even with bench units featuring T.J. McConnell and Thomas Bryant, the Pacers can go on a scoring flurry like they did to close out New York. Advertisement Their historic comebacks break the mold too. The Pacers don't turn to clear-out, hero-ball isolations. They stick with their flow: pace, movement, and speed. In the moments that most teams tighten up, Indiana just keeps running its offense. The throughline with both teams is clear: there are no dead zones, everyone is a threat. It's a roster with continuity and a system built on interchangeable skill sets, rapid processing, and nonstop effort. And two excellent coaching staffs led by Mark Daigneault and Rick Carlisle who constructed these systems and devised game plans to unleash their players' strengths. We've seen prototypes before, like the Beautiful Game Spurs, and the Warriors dynasty. But today's shift is a product of how the game has evolved. Pace is at an all-time high. So is spacing. A record-high 42.1% of shots were taken from 3 this season, and they were launched from farther than ever before: 26.2 feet on average above the break. Advertisement Screens are also being set farther from the hoop: the average on-ball screen came 25.7 feet from the rim, another all-time high. Defenses are switching more than ever: 24.6% of the time this year, up from just 7.7% a decade ago and 15.8% a half-decade ago. All of that means defenders have to cover more ground and do it faster than ever. Every offensive possession stretches the floor horizontally and vertically. On top of that, playoff officiating has made the game more physical than it's been in decades. Players have to be tough enough to absorb contact and relentless enough to fight through every screen, closeout, and rotation. That's part of why the Thunder and Pacers have made it this far. Both teams are deep with guys who meet those demands. Teams with shorter benches run out of answers fast. They either put a target on the floor or ask key players to dial it back to avoid fouling out. As always, when a blueprint starts working, everyone else tries to replicate it. But copying the trend and executing it are two very different things. And this year's playoff exits made that brutally clear. OKC is the model franchise. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The Knicks and Timberwolves both made the conference finals, but neither felt like they belonged by the end of it. New York has a ton of guys who can generate shots and offer lengthy defense. But it's hard to win when your two best players are the weakest links on defense. Karl-Anthony Towns is an aloof liability at every spot on the floor. And Jalen Brunson is both tiny and unaware with poor technique fighting through screens. Until one of them is replaced, it's hard to take the Knicks seriously as a team that'll still be playing in June. Advertisement Minnesota looked like a team from another era against OKC. Julius Randle is a ball-stopper and Anthony Edwards dazzled on-ball but disappeared off it. At just 6-foot-3, Edwards has to evolve through movement: cuts, catch-and-shoot 3s, relocations, connective passing. And Minnesota's offense must change to best promote the development of its 23-year-old star. Coaches can only do with what they have though. The Pacers and Thunder were built from the top down by their front offices to play this way with rosters that can go deep into the bench. But the lead tacticians do have a choice in the matter. Daigneault spent all season experimenting with lineup combinations, playing everyone on his roster, creating a culture where everyone contributes to the greater good. The system Carlisle installed naturally promotes these habits on top of continuing to go deeper into his rotation as the playoffs advanced. One of the challenges for teams looking to take the next step will be navigating the new collective bargaining agreement with rules that make it nearly impossible to have three stars on max contracts and survive with one-dimensional role players on minimum deals. The Heatles approach is no longer a realistic option. We've exited the superteam era. And given the way the best teams are playing and the way they're constructed, and given the restrictions of the new CBA, this likely isn't a temporary trend. It's more of a structural shift where the teams that last are built around four pillars: shooting ability, quick decision-making, offensive adaptability, and defensive versatility. That foundation is necessary to support at least one superstar, who also must embrace those qualities. Some teams like the Cavaliers need to add more toughness. Others need shooting, like the Magic and Pistons. And some teams like the Rockets also need a star. Advertisement Even veteran teams will start to feel the pressure. If OKC levels up again next year, Denver will have to ask hard questions. Nikola Jokić checks every box the Nuggets could possibly want in a star. But do they have enough shooting around him? And can Michael Porter Jr. thrive in this era with his limited creation and defensive shortcomings? Golden State went out and got Jimmy Butler to support Steph Curry, but that isn't enough when the roster is littered with players who can't shoot or playmake. Has the contention window already shut on the Warriors and they just don't know it? And in Los Angeles, Luka Dončić's slow-it-down style may not get him quite as far as it did in Dallas given the way the NBA is evolving. The Lakers may need to rethink what it looks like to build around Luka. And Luka needs to rethink how much of the ball he really needs to dominate. Maybe being a top-five player isn't enough in this era. Maybe you can't be the system, but you have to thrive within one. So here we are: Thunder vs. Pacers for all the marbles. Two small-market franchises, built from the ground up, now defining what winning looks like in the modern NBA. They didn't do it with an aging max-contract trio. They did it with deep and versatile rosters that can throw out lineup after lineup of five guys who can all shoot, dribble, guard, and make decisions in half a second. Advertisement And none of this works without stars who buy in. SGA did. Haliburton did. When your best players excel within the system, the ceiling gets higher. The Thunder and Pacers are not just the Finals teams; they're the blueprint.
NBC Sports
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview: 2025 NBA Finals prediction, schedule, who to watch
In a few weeks we will have a new NBA Champion — for the seventh straight year — and a first-time champion. Technically. The Pacers have three ABA titles from the 1970s before joining the NBA, and the Thunder's predecessors, the Seattle SuperSonics, had one, but we're not counting any of that. The 2025 NBA Finals are about change, led by a new generation of stars that have taken over the league, even if you wouldn't know it watching the NBA's national broadcast schedule — neither of these teams played on Christmas Day. Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 NBA Finals. When does the Pacers vs. Thunder begin? Indiana travels to Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the Finals on Thursday, June 5. This is a 2-2-1-1-1 format, but for the teams the travel isn't that bad between these Midwestern cities. The Pacers & Thunder have their home arenas 688.4 air miles apart. That is the shortest distance between the two teams' arenas in the NBA Finals since 1971 between the Milwaukee Bucks & Baltimore Bullets (641.6). (via G. Harvey) #NBA Indiana vs. Oklahoma City Finals Schedule 2025 All times are Eastern (* = if necessary) Game 1: Pacers at Thunder; Thu. June 5, 8:30, ABC Game 2: Pacers at Thunder; Sun. June 8, 8, ABC Game 3: Thunder at Pacers; Wed. June 11, 8:30, ABC Game 4: Thunder at Pacers; Fri. June 13, 8:30, ABC Game 5: Pacers at Thunder; Mon. June 16, 8:30, ABC* Game 6: Thunder at Pacers; Thu. June 19, 8:30, ABC* Game 7: Pacers at Thunder; Sun, June 22, 8 ABC* Players to watch Myles Turner Taking too much from regular-season meetings when assessing how a matchup impacts players and teams can be a fool's errand, due to the differing circumstances. However, regarding Turner, it's clear that he will need to be more productive against the Thunder than he was in Indiana's two regular-season defeats if the Pacers are to win their first NBA title. Shooting 6-of-19 from the field, he averaged 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game against Oklahoma City. And while Turner did shoot 56 percent from the field in the Eastern Conference Finals, he only averaged 3.2 rebounds per game. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam will be the headliners for Indiana in this series, but they'll need Turner to be at his best to win this series. —Raphielle Johnson, Rotoworld basketball analyst Andrew Nembhard Nembhard has been effective on both sides of the ball for Indiana over the last two postseasons, and he was the primary defender on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during their two regular season matchups. SGA scored 78 points across those games, and per tracking, he shot 11-of-18 from the floor and scored 27 points with Nembhard as his matchup. Nembhard averaged 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists against OKC this season, so he'll need to continue to be effective on offense, but he simply needs to be able to slow SGA down if the Pacers are going to have a chance to win this series. Aaron Nesmith could also spend time guarding SGA, but it was Nembhard's job during the regular season. As of now, a lot of responsibility will rest on his shoulders to give the Pacers an opportunity to pull an upset. —Noah Rubin, Rotoworld basketball analyst Keys to watch for in Indiana vs. Oklahoma City Turnovers & Transition The Indiana Pacers want chaos on the court. They want a game played at a breakneck pace, forcing defensive cross-matches (if the team even gets back, the Knicks too often didn't). They want to force turnovers and turn the game into a track meet. They make quick decisions with plenty of player and ball movement, even in their half-court sets. The energy and pace at which they played almost seemed to surprise teams at points in the East playoffs. Indiana's problem in the Finals: Oklahoma City thrives in chaos. The Thunder will not be surprised by the pace, they will welcome it — at points these NBA Finals will resemble the Olympic drill. The Thunder have been better in transition than the Pacers this postseason. OKC's defense is a turnover forcing machine that scores 1.42 points per transition possession — Haliburton and Indiana are very good at taking care of the ball, but that will be tested in the Finals. The Thunder have run more than the Pacers in these playoffs: The Thunder have started 15.6% of their playoff possessions in transition compared to 13.8% for Indiana, and the Thunder are scoring at a slightly higher rate on those opportunities. OKC brings the best transition defense in the league to the table. This postseason, both Finals teams have been good at stopping their opponents from running on them — just 11% of Thunder opponent possessions started in possession, that is 11.8% for the Pacers. What Indiana has done well is limit teams, even in transition, giving up less than a point per possession in transition against them (OKC allows 1.15 points per possession in transition, still an impressive figure). If Indiana is going to pull off the upset in this series, it must take care of the ball and not give the Thunder easy buckets going the other way. Indiana also is going to have to figure out how to score consistently in the half court against the best defense in the league because the easy transition buckets will not be there. The midrange game is back No player has attempted more midrange shots these playoffs than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and he is shooting 47.9% on them (according to the NBA's tracking stats). Indiana as a team has thrived in the midrange this postseason, taking 16.4% of their shots from there and hitting 48.7% of those. In a league dominated by 3-pointers, both the Thunder and Pacers are comfortable taking what the defense gives them from the mid-range. We'll still see a lot of 3-pointers in this Finals matchup, especially if SGA and Haliburton are touching the paint on drives then kicking out to open shooters, but both are more than willing to win from the midrange. It's going to feel like a throwback series at times. If one team dominates from there it will be a huge advantage. Haliburton vs. Thunder defense In the opening round, it was Ja Morant, who scored five points below his season average in the face of the Thunder's pressure defense and he was far less efficient, shooting just 41.5% (which was the same as the entire Grizzlies team). Next it was Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray, who shot just 40.5% against the Thunder (down from 47.4% during the regular season). Minnesota's All-NBA Anthony Edwards had an up-and-down series against the Thunder and when it was over described their defense as '15 puppets on one string.' While Tyrese Haliburton has had a brilliant playoffs, when the Knicks cranked up the ball pressure in Game 5 — picking him up out high and being more physical — Haliburton faded into the background for a game. While that game was an outlier this postseason, and he responded to the pressure in Game 6, Haliburton has had similar games before when teams get physical with him. Oklahoma City is going to get physical with him. And be relentless. Lu Dort is likely to start on Haliburton, but Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso will all get their turns. There will be swarming double teams and guys jumping passing lanes as he tries to outlet away from the pressure. For the Pacers to have a chance at the upset in this series, Haliburton has to rise above that and be able to orchestrate the Pacers' offense at the pace they want. That's a lot easier said than done, but Haliburton is playing at his peak. He's going to have to find a new level in this series for Indiana to pull the upset. —Kurt Helin, NBC Sports lead NBA writer Best Bets for Finals I went with the Thunder in 5 (+250) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win the Finals MVP in a landslide (-550). For lunch money, I played the series exact outcomes at +650 and +820. They involve OKC winning Games 1, 2, 4 and 5, with Indiana taking Game 3 (+650) and for the second, OKC winning Games 1, 2, 3, and 5, leaving Indiana to win Game 4 (+820). Those exact outcomes are the second and third favorites in terms of odds behind an OKC sweep (+330). —Vaughn Dalzell, NBC Sports Betting Analyst Predictions Indiana's unique, constantly moving offense and excellent coaching gives them a high floor in any series. They need a ceiling to beat a historic OKC team, though — and that is probably lacking. Obi Toppin, TJ McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Thomas Bryant and Ben Sheppard could all hang through the East — expect them to be Indy's downfall, though, against OKC's relentless pressure. My numbers support a clear advantage for the Thunder in these finals with the home team better by 9.5 points in Games 1 and 2 and 5 points to the good in Indiana. Overall, this gives OKC fair odds of -861, or an 89% chance to lift the Larry O'Brien. Considering this is new territory for a young team and because the Pacers present a few unique challenges, it's reasonable to expect we will see at least 5 games to decide our champion. Predicting the Thunder will clinch at home in Game 5 where they have been absolutely sublime this postseason. Fittingly, SGA completes the MVP sweep in doing so. Indiana has had one of the most memorable and miraculous runs to the NBA Finals over the last 25 years, but it's about to come to an overwhelming end versus Oklahoma City. OKC is the much deeper team with more three-and-D players that can stretch the floor and limit Indiana. Outside of Haliburton or Siakam, I have trust issues with the Pacers' role/bench players' ability to score in this series. There's a reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder (-700) are the biggest NBA Finals favorites since the 2018 Golden State Warriors. In the regular season, the Thunder had the third-highest offensive rating and the highest defensive rating. The Thunder have two players on the NBA All-Defensive Teams. That's not including Alex Caruso, who was the best defender on the team, but ineligible to make the squad. The NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also leads the Thunder's offense. Offensively stout, and they have depth to mix it up both offensively and defensively. The Pacers are insanely talented and deserve to be in the Finals. It's just the Thunder are playing on another level right now. Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In broad strokes, the Pacers and Thunder want to play a similar style of game — both prefer the game to feel chaotic. They spread the floor and move the ball, and both are happy to get out and run, all of which should make for an entertaining NBA Finals. Here's Indiana's problem: Tyrese Haliburton is outstanding, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just better; Indiana's defense is improved and can force turnovers, but OKC's is elite and just better; Myles Turner is good, but Chet Holmgren is just better (especially paired with Isiah Hartenstein); the Pacers bench was good enough for the East, but the Thunder bench is just better. And so it goes down the line. Indiana is a quality team that's about to get overwhelmed.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Warriors hosting trio of players for pre-draft workout
Warriors hosting trio of players for pre-draft workout Warriors hosting a pre-draft workout Tuesday: — Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) June 2, 2025 Draft month is officially here. In just a couple of weeks, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr are set to be on the clock for the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2025 edition of the NBA draft. Before Kerr and Dunleavy Jr. lock in their only pick in the 2025 draft, the Golden State Warriors are hosting a trio of prospects at San Francisco's Chase Center for a pre-draft workout. Duke's Sion James, Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard and Appalachian State's CJ Huntley are the players set to work out in San Francisco on Tuesday, according to Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle. While earning a spot on the ACC All-Defensive team alongside top prospect Cooper Flagg at Duke, James averaged 8.6 points on 51.6% shooting from the field to go along with 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 39 games. After two seasons at Creighton, Nembhard transferred to Gonzaga for his final two seasons of college hoops, earning All-WCC honors in both campaigns. Nembhard led Mark Few's squad at point guard, averaging 10.5 points on 44.6% shooting from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc. Nembhard added 9.8 assists and three rebounds per game. Nembhard notched 10 or more assists in 19 different games last season for Gonzaga, including a 16-assist performance against San Francisco at Chase Center. Nembhard's brother, Andrew, is getting ready to play in the NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers. Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard is a dream point guard for teammates to play alongside in a Combine setting with his tremendous feel, vision and unselfishness. Rightfully earned the callup to the big show, making a strong case for two-way consideration. — Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025 Huntley played all five seasons at App State, earning All-Sun Belt honors in as a senior in 2024-25. The 6-foot-11 big man averaged a career-best 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. Prior to hosting James, Nembhard and Huntley, the Warriors hosted another group of prospects earlier in draft season. UCLA's Kobe Johnson, St. John's RJ Luis and Mizzou's Tamar Bates were some of the players to visit Chase Center for a pre-draft workout. The Warriors have the next three weeks to prepare for the start of the NBA draft on June 25 in Brooklyn, New York at Barclays Center.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Pacers race to NBA Finals; Knicks suffer security breach
The Pacers, who have never won an NBA title, dispatched the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night in six games behind their tempo, shot-making and improved defense. Forward Pascal Siakam dropped 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 and 13 assists. OPINION: Small-market Pacers party down in big way with NBA Finals trip MORE: Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference finals MVP after Pacers down Knicks The Knicks kept things close until a decisive third quarter in which the Pacers outscored New York by 11. Jalen Brunson, New York's top offensive threat, was the team's third-leading scorer with 19 points. Winners and losers from the closeout game of the Eastern Conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks: WINNERS The Pacers spread the wealth In Game 5 Thursday night, the only starter for the Pacers to score in double figures was forward Pascal Siakam, who recorded just 15 points. In Game 6 on Saturday night, it was a very different story. Seven Pacers -- and all five starters -- reached double figures, with Siakam leading the way with 31 points. Indiana whipped the ball around the floor, moving it far more efficiently than it did two nights previous, and the speed of the Pacers passes left the Knicks struggling to catch up. In Game 5, Indiana recorded just 20 assists, with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton getting just six. Saturday, the Pacers dished out 30 dimes, 13 of which were Haliburton's. Andrew Nembhard He had a rough series offensively, there's no question, but Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard took on the assignment of guarding Jalen Brunson with determination. With Aaron Nesmith slowed by his ankle injury, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle switched things up early in Game 6, putting Nembhard on Brunson. Nembhard responded by bodying Brunson, guarding him all 90 feet and making him feel constant pressure. In the first half, Brunson shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 10 points. Nembhard finished with six steals. Thomas Bryant He lost his minutes to fellow Pacers big man Tony Bradley, but a hip injury to Bradley thrust Bryant back into the rotation for Game 6. He responded with an energy-filled 11-point performance in just 13 minutes on the floor. The third quarter, when the Pacers pulled away from the Knicks, was when Bryant shined brightest, scoring eight of his 11 points in the period and draining a pair of massive 3s. LOSERS New York's ball security Give the Pacers plenty of credit for swarming and harassing ball handlers and jumping gaps to steal passes, but New York's careless approach with the ball cost the Knicks the game. New York committed 18 turnovers that led to 34 Pacers points. The Pacers turned those turnovers into quick offense, firing passes up the floor, often to players streaking wide open to the basket. New York's transition defense Whether it was cumulative fatigue from six games of trying to match the tempo of the Pacers, or whether it was a lack of attention to detail, the Knicks simply conceded far too many attempts for the Pacers in transition. This had been an issue throughout the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers are known for getting players sprinting down the floor for open layups, even after opponents convert field goals. The concern for New York was that it did not adjust to this over the course of the game. In fact, if anything, the Pacers leaned into their speed in the second half. No player benefitted from this more than Pascal Siakam, who all series long got easy layups after his teammates launched passes to him after he had leaked out; four of his first seven field goals were layups in transition. Overall, the Pacers outscored New York in transition, 25-10. New York's perimeter defense Inexcusably, the Knicks also took a lax approach to defending Indiana's perimeter shots, allowing multiple players to get uncontested looks and failing to close out. A lot of this happened when Knicks players -- center Karl-Anthony Towns in particular -- went under screens or lacked the effort and intensity to meet Indiana's shooters. The Pacers attacked this repeatedly, calling for pick-and-rolls when Towns was the secondary defender. Indiana shot 17-of-33 (51.5%) from beyond the arc. And, since the Knicks made only 9-of-32 (28.1%) shots from 3, that means the Pacers carried a 24-point advantage from deep.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Pacers race into NBA Finals on fast breaks and sharing the wealth
Pacers race into NBA Finals on fast breaks and sharing the wealth Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals. Sports Pulse The Indiana Pacers are looking to make history. For only the second time in franchise history, the team has moved on to the NBA Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder await. The Pacers, who have never won an NBA title, dispatched the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night in six games behind their tempo, shot-making and improved defense. Forward Pascal Siakam dropped 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 and 13 assists. OPINION: Small-market Pacers party down in big way with NBA Finals trip MORE: Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference finals MVP after Pacers down Knicks The Knicks kept things close until a decisive third quarter in which the Pacers outscored New York by 11. Jalen Brunson, New York's top offensive threat, was the team's third-leading scorer with 19 points. Winners and losers from the closeout game of the Eastern Conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks: WINNERS The Pacers spread the wealth In Game 5 Thursday night, the only starter for the Pacers to score in double figures was forward Pascal Siakam, who recorded just 15 points. In Game 6 on Saturday night, it was a very different story. Seven Pacers — and all five starters — reached double figures, with Siakam leading the way with 31 points. Indiana whipped the ball around the floor, moving it far more efficiently than it did two nights previous, and the speed of the Pacers passes left the Knicks struggling to catch up. In Game 5, Indiana recorded just 20 assists, with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton getting just six. Saturday, the Pacers dished out 30 dimes, 13 of which were Haliburton's. Andrew Nembhard He had a rough series offensively, there's no question, but Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard took on the assignment of guarding Jalen Brunson with determination. With Aaron Nesmith slowed by his ankle injury, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle switched things up early in Game 6, putting Nembhard on Brunson. Nembhard responded by bodying Brunson, guarding him all 90 feet and making him feel constant pressure. In the first half, Brunson shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 10 points. Nembhard finished with six steals. Thomas Bryant He lost his minutes to fellow Pacers big man Tony Bradley, but a hip injury to Bradley thrust Bryant back into the rotation for Game 6. He responded with an energy-filled 11-point performance in just 13 minutes on the floor. The third quarter, when the Pacers pulled away from the Knicks, was when Bryant shined brightest, scoring eight of his 11 points in the period and draining a pair of massive 3s. LOSERS New York's ball security Give the Pacers plenty of credit for swarming and harassing ball handlers and jumping gaps to steal passes, but New York's careless approach with the ball cost the Knicks the game. New York committed 18 turnovers that led to 34 Pacers points. The Pacers turned those turnovers into quick offense, firing passes up the floor, often to players streaking wide open to the basket. New York's transition defense Whether it was cumulative fatigue from six games of trying to match the tempo of the Pacers, or whether it was a lack of attention to detail, the Knicks simply conceded far too many attempts for the Pacers in transition. This had been an issue throughout the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers are known for getting players sprinting down the floor for open layups, even after opponents convert field goals. The concern for New York was that it did not adjust to this over the course of the game. In fact, if anything, the Pacers leaned into their speed in the second half. No player benefitted from this more than Pascal Siakam, who all series long got easy layups after his teammates launched passes to him after he had leaked out; four of his first seven field goals were layups in transition. Overall, the Pacers outscored New York in transition, 25-10. New York's perimeter defense Inexcusably, the Knicks also took a lax approach to defending Indiana's perimeter shots, allowing multiple players to get uncontested looks and failing to close out. A lot of this happened when Knicks players — center Karl-Anthony Towns in particular — went under screens or lacked the effort and intensity to meet Indiana's shooters. The Pacers attacked this repeatedly, calling for pick-and-rolls when Towns was the secondary defender. Indiana shot 17-of-33 (51.5%) from beyond the arc. And, since the Knicks made only 9-of-32 (28.1%) shots from 3, that means the Pacers carried a 24-point advantage from deep.
