An off night for Jalen Brunson meant an opportunity for the Indiana Pacers, who capitalized and forced a Game 7 showdown with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson scored just 5 points in the first half before playing catch-up in the second while the Knicks were down double-digits.
When asked about the double and triple teams dispatched by Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, Brunson gave credit, but also acknowledged his part.
“They adjust,” Brunson told reporters on May 17. “They try and make ways, make things difficult. I have to adjust as well. They’re showing me different looks, and I have to do a better job at reading it. I can’t be what I was for the first 40 minutes of the game.”
He finished Game 6 with 31 points on 11-of-26 shooting and 3-of-8 from three. But as Brunson has done so often, he didn’t make any excuses for himself or his New York teammates.
“There really isn’t any excuse for anything,” Brunson told reporters. “You just have to give them credit for playing really well.”
And when given an opportunity to take full credit for his off night, he insisted Indiana’s defense played just as much a part.
“Mixture of everything,” Brunson continued. “They’ve been doing a great job all series of making adjustments and everything. It’s made me adjust as well. Obviously I was shooting shots I normally make that I missed. But it’s a mixture of both, a mixture of me missing the shots, and a mixture of them just playing really well.”
For the first time in almost 20 years, the Knicks will host a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
And in what has been the theme of the playoffs, how Brunson plays will dictate New York’s chances. For the umpteenth time this series, he’ll have to readjust to Carlisle’s defense.
Carlisle on Guarding Brunson: ‘It’s an Endless Task’
Carlisle and the Pacers adjustments to Brunson have been the story of the series, sans a few injuries for the Knicks.
But when asked about their Game 6 effort, Indiana’s coach didn’t take any victory laps.
“He ended up with 31 points,” Carlisle told reporters postgame. “So I’m not going to celebrate something that happened in half of the game. This guy is doing some historic stuff in the playoffs. He went on a crazy run in the last three minutes he was in there…There’s no resting on him. There’s no feeling good about anything with him. It’s an endless task when you face a player like him, in a series like this.”
Carlisle made the decision to put Aaron Nesmith on Brunson after Game 2. It’s a decision that’s paid dividends and turned the tides of the series in various moments.
According to NBA.com’s Matchups tracker, Brunson is shooting 45-percent from the floor when guarded by Nesmith, and has committed 7 turnovers by way of his defense.
Those aren’t clear cut signs of a one-on-one matchup victory for Nesmith, but the Pacers’ guard is playing a better role as disruptor. Brunson is shooting 68-percent from the floor when guarded by Andrew Nembhard, who was Carlisle’s original choice.
It doesn’t help New York’s All-Star that his teammates are falling off like flies. And it doesn’t sound like any reinforcements are on the way for Game 7.
Anunoby Likely Out for Game 7
Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about OG Anunoby’s chances to return to the lineup for Game 7.
“Whatever medical says,” he told reporters postgame. And when asked to elaborate on what the medical staff is saying, Thibodeau simply responded “day-to-day.”
Anunoby, who’s been out since Game 2 of the series, is dealing with a left hamstring strain. He’s averaging 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1 steal per game in the playoffs.
New York is 6-2 when he plays this postseason, and 1-3 when he doesn’t.
It’s safe to say his potential return will be monitored by both sides, as a potential x-factor for Game 7 on May 19.
But until something breaks on the injury front, the Knicks will have to assume they’re going into the elimination game with exactly who they left Game 6 with.
That could mean they’re without Josh Hart, too.
The do-it-all forward suffered an abdominal strain in Game 6 that ended his night prematurely. Hart was ruled out with what the Knicks say is “abdominal soreness.”
When asked about Hart’s status postgame, Thibodeau was uncommitted, without an update.
“We’ll see,” the head coach told reporters.
Brunson was more optimistic, saying the nature of a Game 7 will get Hart back on the floor. “I would assuming he’s playing,” Brunson told reporters postgame. “It’s Game 7.”
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