Can the Indiana Pacers pull off an upset in Game 7 on the road against the New York Knicks to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals?
The Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks are prepared to face off in a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. This series has been a physical battle for both teams, but it all comes down to a winner-take-all game.
The Pacers will play their first Game 7 since their 2018 first-round playoff exit against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pacers are 26 all-time in Game 7s and the last time they won a Game 7 oddly enough was against the Knicks in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals which was also played at Madison Square Garden.
The Indiana Pacers must overcome their road NBA Playoff woes
Can the Indiana Pacers pull off the upset in the Garden?
If the Indiana Pacers want to advance to the next round, they will have to accomplish what they haven't been able to do all postseason, and that's being able to win a game on the road.
The Knicks have only lost one game at Madison Square Garden all postseason, and the Pacers will have to prepare themselves for that crowd. The crowd at the Garden can literally take the air out of the building and can definitely have a negative effect on the opposing team.
It's important that the Pacers try to get off to a quick start and try to limit any scoring runs from the Knicks because they will feed off the energy of the home crowd. Not only do the Pacers need to get off to a quick start, but it's imperative that Pacers all-star guard Tyrese Haliburton establishes his presence early.
His averages on the road in this series have made a huge difference as he has had his fair share of trouble at the Garden compared to his games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. On the road in this series, Haliburton's average splits are 17.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 7.3 apg. At home, he averages 23.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg with 7.0 apg.
Any opponent entering the Garden has to be mentally tough as the Knicks have one of the most loyal fan bases in the world. What better way to end a series than a Game 7 in the Garden between these longtime rivals?