Pacers run past Knicks in Game 6, advance to NBA Finals!!

Another round of Pacers basketball!

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

By loading up in transition against the New York Knicks in Game 6, the Pacers are now transitioning to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter century. Turns out, one of many solutions to shedding the increased pressure was simply passing the ball overhead, rather than trying to maneuver (or disengage) side-by-side. For the game, the Pacers logged 14 advance passes in transition, marking the third-most in any game of theirs this season, as well as eight transition possessions following a made shot, which marks a new season high.

Meanwhile, the changes in coverage from the Knicks dictated that a massive game was needed from Pascal Siakam, and he delivered. With Aaron Nesmith limited by an ankle injury, Andrew Nembhard was needed to defend Jalen Brunson, and he delivered. After not playing, Thomas Bryant needed to play, and he delivered. In the end, Tyrese Haliburton needed to be Tyrese Haliburton, and he delivered.

Overall, the Pacers advanced with a quintessential team win that mirrored the course of their season: Siakam carried early, Nembhard changed the course of the game with his defense at the point of attack, as well as in the gaps, and Haliburton, after quietly dictating pace in the background, loudly punctuated his play during closing time as a star, punching his ticket to the Finals by punching the ball ahead of him.

Joining me to discuss the ins and outs of how the Pacers, quite literally, advanced by advancing, while also answering some patron-only mailbag questions, is once again Samson Folk. Here are the relevant timestamps:

0:00 - Introductions

2:12 - Game 6 as a microcosm of the season for the Pacers

3:32 - Haliburton or Siakam as ECF MVP?

6:50 - Significance of inverted PnR as the opening play for Siakam + Siakam guarding KAT and also forcing KAT to guard (Special performance!)

19:44 - Andrew Nembhard meeting the moment defensively against Jalen Brunson (Another special performance!)

27:10 - (Brief aside on the improvements in Haliburton's quick shows to be more show in addition to being quick)

28:43 - Nembhard was also terrific defensively when he wasn't guarding Brunson

31:42 - Advancing to the Finals by advancing the ball in transition

34:52 - "The Thomas Bryant game" as another microcosm of the season with regard to the ongoing search for center depth

36:15 - Tyrese Haliburton, handling the pressure

40:14 - Reflecting on the many twists and turns to Myles Turner's journey with the Pacers culminating in a trip to the NBA Finals

44:58 - Mail Time!

45:31 - How much do we value catch-all stats and advanced metrics?

53:27 - How did we get our starts as basketball writers/analysts?

1:00:40 - What's our favorite thing about podcasting/working with each other?

1:07:06 - Samson's thoughts on the biggest differences between covering the Pacers/Raptors

1:13:30 - Banter & Goodbyes