When you think of a Tom Thibodeau-coached team, you think of gritty, hard-working squads. You think of exhausting practices and extended minutes for starting lineups. You think “disciplined”.
In more ways than one, this New York Knicks group is not looking like a typical Tom Thibodeau-coached team.
The Knicks, as they currently stand, are not playing with the focus and restraint necessary to win an NBA title. Whether it be mindless fouls, defensive lapses, turnovers, or missed assignments, the Knicks are struggling to wrangle in an Indiana Pacers team that applies constant pressure.
To make matters worse, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is playing flawlessly. In Game 4, the point guard put up 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists on zero turnovers. With a trip to the NBA Finals on the line, one team looks ready to compete for a full 48 minutes, while the other is letting their emotions and lack of focus get the better of them.
Fouls
Fouls have been an issue at many points throughout this postseason for New York— Game 4 was no different.
After a heroic fourth-quarter performance in Game 3, Karl-Anthony Towns proved he was the key to success for the Knicks. In order for them to steal another game in Indianapolis, he was going to have to shoulder at least a heavy offensive load. Instead of building upon his Game 3 finish, though, KAT went with a different approach. He committed two fouls within the first five minutes of the game.
What’s more frustrating than the timing of the fouls KAT has committed throughout these playoffs is the nature of them; more often than not, they feel extremely unnecessary.
Flash forward to the fourth quarter, where the Knicks were struggling to cut their deficit to single digits — KAT commits a few more unsightly, head-scratching fouls.
In what began to feel like “do-or-die” time for the Knicks at the end of Game 4, New York put Indiana in the bonus with just under eight minutes left in the quarter. Josh Hart committed three of the five fouls. Factoring in his diminished offensive skillset, Hart cannot afford to be so delinquent. Hart would commit his fourth foul of the quarter, and sixth of the game, with two minutes left to go.
Defensive Lapses
The Knicks got through the first two rounds of the playoffs because of their ferocity and their ability to stay engaged through the final buzzer. They pulled off two miraculous comebacks against Boston, and Jalen Brunson pulled them out of a few close games against Detroit.
But in this series against the Pacers, they’re being manipulated right from tip-off. There seems to be a blanket of self-doubt cocooning the team, most apparent via a lack of focus on the defensive end.
This Pacers team loves to play five-out and confuse their opponents with various on- and off-ball maneuvers. Switching on defense is one way to combat these schemes, but the Knicks are doing themselves no favors by failing to communicate. It’s one thing when Haliburton hits a step-back three over an outstretched hand in his face. It’s another when he’s left wide-open with a moment to take a deep breath.
But what’s worse than New York losing its focus in the chaos of Indiana’s pacing is losing it during a dead-ball play. Throughout the game, the Pacers made the Knicks look foolish on inbounds plays.
No one example of this was bigger than the dagger Obi Toppin hit in the final minute of Game 4.
To allow Toppin such an open look in such a dire moment speaks volumes to the lack of late-game poise New York has been showing this series. For a team with the Clutch Player of the Year on its roster, they’ve looked tired and lackadaisical when they can’t afford to be.
Turnovers
In their 12 games against the Pistons and Celtics this playoffs, New York never lost the turnover battle by more than two, and won it more often than not. In this series against Indiana, they’ve lost the turnover battle every game and are -18 overall through four games.
Losing the turnover battle this starkly against a team that thrives on fastbreak points is simply inexcusable. Indiana has some stellar defensive players, and they were 11th in the regular season in turnovers forced — but so does New York, and they were 15th. The difference shouldn’t be so stark, and there needs to be a heightened sense of urgency and caution now that it’s the Eastern Conference Finals, particularly in this matchup against Indy.
Can the Knicks Fix This?
The Knicks are officially on their last breath for the 2025 season. A magical run that saw them beat the conference favorites in Boston has been stymied by the genius that is the Indiana Pacers.
It’s up to New York if they want to have a chance at pulling off an improbable comeback. Most everything outlined in this article is a self-inflicted wound. If the Knicks can stop with the silly fouls, take care of the ball, and match Indiana’s defensive intensity, they have the offensive firepower to steal Game 5 and get the momentum back.
But given the lack of faith Thibodeau has in his starting unit, unless Delon Wright and Landry Shamet can start to pour it in on offense, things are looking bleak for Timothée Chalamet and the mighty New York Knicks.
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