Pacers at Knicks
The New York Knicks have not been able to get anything done against the Indiana Pacers’ defense. The Pacers will be looking to ride that defense to a series victory when they attempt to close out the host Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday. New York has only had one stretch of strong offense and used it to secure its only win in Game 2. The Knicks have been held to an average of 76.5 points in the last two games.
Indiana has chased New York off the 3-point line and has controlled the glass to gain second-chance points and keep the Knicks from getting out on the break. New York stars Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were a combined 16-for-45 from the field on Tuesday and have struggled throughout the series. Knicks coach Mike Woodson is still looking at things optimistically. “It takes four games to get out of this series,” he said. “We go home, we handle our business at home and we get back (to Indiana) on Friday and see if we can force Game 7. That’s what I’m thinking. That’s the only way I’m thinking.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE PACERS: Paul George has not been shooting well in the series but has been able to make an impact in several other places. The All-Star forward has played tight defense on Anthony and has been a force on the glass along with the rest of the Indiana frontcourt. Guard George Hill shouldered more of the scoring load in Game 4, including 14 of the Pacers’ 19 points in the third quarter that kept the team in control. “(Hill) was spectacular, maybe the best game I’ve ever seen him play,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “He was just making all the winning plays. He not only executed our offense, he bailed us out a few times when things broke down late in the shot clock.” Hill finished with a Game 4-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
ABOUT THE KNICKS: Anthony has shot under 40 percent from the field in six of the last seven games but Smith has been even worse, connecting at 28.6 percent in six games since serving a one-game suspension during Game 4 of the first round. “I take the blame for this whole series,” Smith told reporters after Game 4. “It started off with Game 4 in Boston or Game 5. I haven’t been playing myself. I haven’t been playing my part. I’ve been letting my teammates down. I’ve been letting my coaches down.” New York attempted to counter Indiana’s size advantage by starting Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin together in the frontcourt. That may have played a part in poor shooting nights from Roy Hibbert and David West in the Pacers frontcourt, but the Knicks were still outrebounded 54-36.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knicks F Amar’e Stoudemire (knee) played 11 minutes in Game 4 off the bench and had as many fouls as points (four).
2. Indiana is 7-0 in the postseason when Hill scores more than 12 points.
3. New York G Jason Kidd has not scored in any of the last eight games despite playing at least 15 minutes in each.