Knicks at Pacers Game 6 Preview: How, Who to Watch

The New York Knicks are hoping to spread a new kind of fever in Indianapolis: elimination.

New York has a chance to punch its first Eastern Conference finals ticket since 2000 on Friday night when it faces the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of conference semis. The Knicks’ lengthy injury report once against takes center stage but momentum is firmly on Manhattan’s side after a 121-91 blowout in Game 5 on Tuesday night.

Moving on will require the Knicks to break a hex against visitors that Indianapolis has produced: the Pacers have won 10 games in a row at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, including Games 3 and 4 earlier in this series. The latter was equally one-sided, as the Pacers previously knotted up the set with a 121-89 triumph on Sunday afternoon.

The Knicks will have to some time to rest if they manage to close the series out early: Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is currently scheduled for Tuesday night in Boston.

What: New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers, Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 6 (Knicks lead series 3-2)

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

When/Watch: Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Who’s Favored: IND -5.5

Keep An Eye On: Isaiah Hartenstein

If these are truly the final Hartenstein hours in New York, he’s going out on a brilliant note: the free-agent-to-be joined metropolitan royalty in Game 5, tying Charles Oakley’s long-standing single-playoff game record for offensive rebounds with a dozen, giving the Knicks numerous second chances in the blowout win and taking away possessions from a potent, paced Indiana offense. The interior success of Hartenstein, who continues to fatten his future contract, has often determined the Knicks’ postseason path: New York is 4-1 when he grabs at least eight rebounds, and he had only five when the Pacers dismantled the Knicks in the previous Indianapolis excursion on Sunday afternoon.

Pacer to Watch: Myles Turner

Turner has been one of the most consistent Pacers in this series, hitting just under 51 percent of his shots. He was also a plus-48 on the floor during the two games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and is 7-of-10 from deep in the past couple. Curiously, Turner has not been able to get to the foul line, held completely scoreless in the category in the last two games. That’s perhaps surprising for the 6-11, 250-lb. big man, who is hitting just over 77 percent at the line. If the Pacers are going to yield second chances to the Knicks, the least Turner can is get some of his paint adversaries in foul trouble and makes surre Indiana leaves with something.

They Said It

“This is totally different. We’ve got to be locked into exactly what we have to do against Indiana. Philly has nothing to do with this. The last game has nothing to do with this. It’s being locked into this game. Just be ready for this game.”-Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau on the similarities between Game 6 against Philadelphia and Indiana (h/t Mike Vaccaro, New York Post)

Prediction

After back-to-back blowouts of varying proportions, it feels like things should even out for Game 6: the Pacers should be playing dangerously desperate while the Knicks face the tantalizing prospect of several days to prepare for the mighty Boston Celtics with one win more. All it’ll come down to who wants it more. Throughout this series, it feels like that has been the Knicks. who should use that to their advantage come Friday night.

Knicks 116, Pacers 113

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