The Pacers ended the Knicks' playoffs last year in heartbreaking fashion, in a game in which Jalen Brunson broke his hand. It is something that still eats at Brunson. Now, Brunson and the Knicks will have a chance at redemption, with even higher stakes and more pressure.
Speaking to the press, Brunson revealed that losing to the Pacers in the playoffs last year still bothers him to this day, adding that the loss was a "missed opportunity", considering that Game 7 was played on their home turf in Madison Square Garden.
Playoff windows are short, and becoming increasingly shorter. Over the last several years there have been a handful of teams that have reached the promised land and seemed destined to get back for years to come. Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics have all seemed their windows open and then slam shut.
You never know how and when that door closes, so it is essential to capitalize on those windows when they are open. Every playoff run contains a degree of luck, it is just the nature of the sport. To reach the mountain top, you have to have injury luck on your side, things have to break right for you, that is almost always how things work.
The Knicks deserve to be here, that much is clear, but they also have a now favorable path to the finals for the first time this century. The Cleveland Cavaliers, the best team in the East all season, are out of the picture. The Knicks themselves have already knocked off the Celtics. Now, all that stands in their way of reaching the finals is a chance at redemption with the Pacers.
No time to celebrate
While Knicks fans flooded the streets of New York City, celebrating their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since the year 2000, the players have remained steadfast that their goal has not yet been achieved.
Brunson made it clear that their fans deserved to celebrate, saying, "It was very important and great for the fans to have our backs and celebrate the way they did. But for us, we know there's a long way to go." He went on to add, "We don't really look at it as an accomplishment. It's just the next step. We're grateful, we're thankful, but we know there's a long way to go."
The Pacers are a formidable opponent. Like the Knicks, they also deserve to be here. They have plenty of shooters on their team, a deep roster, and love to get out and run. The Knicks will have their hands full. With home-court advantage, they will once again have a great opportunity to knock off their rival. All they have to do is do it.