Can the Indiana Pacers win the rebounding battle?
One statistic that has determined the outcome of every game in this series has been rebounding. The winner of each game accumulated the most rebounds, so there should be extra emphasis to crash the boards from both teams.
The Pacers have had the size advantage over the Knicks, mostly due to injured players, but the Pacers have 2 dominant players in their frontcourt who are capable of grabbing double-digit rebounds. Pacers center Myles Turner and forward Pascal Siakam usually lead the charge for the Pacers when it comes to boxing out and doing the dirty work inside the painted area.
The collective effort by the Pacers' entire team has been outstanding. The Knicks being without Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, and possibly OG Anunoby (game-time decision) has hurt them. The biggest healthy player they have is Isaiah Hartenstein at 7'0, 250 pounds. He averages 7.8 rebounds per game in the postseason but the Knicks are just too small.
The Pacers have four starters who average over five rebounds per contest, and it's going to be vital for them to control the boards in Game 7. In a win-or-go-home situation like this, every possession means something, every turnover matters, and it's the smallest intricate mistakes that could determine the outcome of a series.