“I’m always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials. But we deserve a fair shot. There’s not a consistent balance, and that’s disappointing.” Another coach said, “We got beat up in our building. We got embarrassed in front of our fans. We got out-coached; we got outplayed. You can feel sorry for yourself, or you can do whatever you can to try to be better come Game 3.” These quotes were made by Rick Carlisle and Mike Malone, coaches of the Indian Pacers and Denver Nuggets after Game 2 losses. The losses left their teams facing a precarious 0-2 deficit and their message veered in different directions in their postgame comments. In playoff basketball, things can change quickly, and after 48 hours both teams have successfully tied their respective series. Carlisle was fined $35,000 for his comment and Malone’s comment will live in folklore if they complete the comeback. It sets up a fascinating pair of Game 5 that will be pivotal in deciding the winner of both Conference semifinal series. In this article, we preview both games and determine the winners.
1. Knicks status and keys- New York will want to flush the tape from their 121-89 Mother’s Day massacre. The team got pummeled in Game 4 after starting the game sluggishly and trailing 34-14 after the first quarter. It feels like the heavy minutes caught up with the Knicks starters, who have played 40 minutes or more in the previous seven games of the playoffs. The Knicks face an uphill task because of the recent hamstring injury to OG Anunoby, who will miss Game 5. It adds to the list of injured players including Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, and Bojan Bogdanovic. The key for the Knicks is to feed off their home crowd because the team is 4-1 at Madison Square Garden. If the Knicks are to win, Jalen Brunson must find a way to shake free of Aaron Naismith and T.J. McConnell, who has held him to 44 points in the last two games including just 18 points on Sunday. Another key for the Knicks is that they got caught up with the Pacers’ quick-strike offense. However, given their short rotation and limited offense, they must slow down the pace.
2. Pacers’ status and key- the Pacers would have wanted Game 5 to be played right after Game 4 on Sunday because it was a masterpiece from Rick Carlisle’s team. Tyrese Halliburton has rebounded from his early series struggles to become the best player on the court. After only scoring six points in Game 1, Haliburton has averaged 29.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. The key for the Pacers will be their ability to execute under pressure if it is a close game on the road. The Knicks prevailed at home in Games 1 and 2, while the Pacers won Game 3 on a miracle three-pointer from Andrew Nembhard. Also, the Pacers will need those role players to replicate their success on the road because their depth is a decided advantage in the remainder of this series.
Prediction: I have the Pacers winning Game 5 on the road because I think the Knicks have lost too many key players, and Halliburton will remain the best player on the floor. Pacers 108-Knicks 102
3. Timberwolves status and keys- Anthony Edwards took all the blame for a lackluster Game 3 performance. Edwards redeemed himself in Game 4 by scoring 44 points, grabbing five rebounds and five assists. The problem for the Timberwolves is that no other teammate scored more than 15 points. The key for Game 5 and every game for the Timberwolves is the performance of Karl Anthony-Towns, who grabbed 12 rebounds but scored only 13 points in Game 4. Another key for the Timberwolves is to defensively try to limit Aaron Gordon, who torched them in Game 4 for 27 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Gordon is the Nuggets’ x-factor in this series, and the Timberwolves cannot afford to have the former Magic wing shine offensively. The Timberwolves lost by only 8 points and will rue the turnovers before the first half when they suffered two miscues and allowed 8 points in 20 seconds of action. Those mental lapses cannot happen against the reigning defending champions in their building.
4. Nuggets status and keys- the Nuggets looked outplayed and outmatched in the first two games of this series. However, the defending champions responded on the road with Nikola Jokic leading from the front. In Game 4, the MVP poured 16 points in the fourth quarter to keep the Timberwolves at bay. However, the key to the Nuggets is the play of Jamaal Murray. In Game 1-2, Murray struggled to impact the game, and the team sputtered, while in Game 3-4, he rebounded with good performances.
Prediction: The momentum has swung in this series to Denver. It’s hard to imagine the Timberwolves winning three consecutive games in the Mile High City, and I think the Nuggets win a thriller tonight. Nuggets 113-Timberwolves 111.