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Knicks In Big Troulbe as Pacers Run Away with Game 2

 The New York Knicks now find themselves in the untenable situation of being down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals after a lackluster effort against Indiana produced a 114-109 loss in front of a mortified MSG crowd.


Yes, Jalen Brunson led the way with 36 points for New York, but there is only so much one star player can do. The Indiana Pacers are deeper, have a bigger bench, and are better coached. 

No better example in Game 2 than at the start of the fourth quarter when Knicks Head Coach Tom Thibodeau decided to sit both Brunson and OG Anunoby in a tied game, only to watch the Pacers go on a 13-4 run to grab their largest lead of the game, nine points, with 9:17 to go when Pascal Siakam drilled a 26-foot three pointer. 

What a mess. 

Sure when Brunson soon returned, he was able to lead the floor and single handidly, with an assist from Mikal Bridges brought the Knicks to within three at 97-94, but it wasn't enough. 

The Pacers were just smarter and spread the wealth. 

Siakam dominated with 39 points while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 14 points, smiling all the way as the Pacers pulled away. 

Not to mention when they needed to the Pacers played Hack-a-Robinson, by fouling the Knicks center who really had an awful night at the free-throw line going 2-for-4. 

However, if one needs one more indication of where these two teams are right now, look no further than the bench. The Knicks played only three guys off the bench, and got a combined 12 points. The Pacers had seven different guys coming in and out of the game off the bench, and combined the bench contributed 20 points, eight assists and six boards. 

So when it was all said and done at MSG, it was just too much Indiana; too much Pascal Siakam, and too much Rick Carlisle running circles around Thibodeau in the chess game. 

Can the Knicks save this series, and season? Sure. They are down 0-2; it's not impossible to storm back and make a series out of this, but the percentages are highly in the favor of the Indiana Pacers. If the Knicks aren't able to right the ship in Indy, it's over, and it could be over by mid-week next week. 

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