The New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals, 121-91. Jalen Brunson led the way with 44 points and 7 assists. Brunson shot 18-35 from the floor. It is the fifth time he has hit the 40 point mark this post-season. (Basketball Reference: In the last 20 years only Brunson and LeBron James have scored 40 or more five times in a single post-season.) Knicks take a 3-2 lead in the series with Game 6 Friday night in Indiana.
Too many reviews in the game last night.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle calls the Knicks, “Navy Seals.”
Stan Van Gundy is awesome on the telecast.
The Denver Nuggets took a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semi-finals beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 112-97. The greatest center in the history of basketball, Nikola Jokic scored 40 points, had 7 rebounds, 13 assists and 0 turnovers.
Caitlin Clark scored 20 points (5-15 FG, 4-11 from deep) in her pro debut. The Fever lost to the Sun 92-71. Clark had 10 turnovers and 3 assists.
I saw a video of Snoop Dogg giving his 5 best players in the NBA. He left off Luka Doncic and Giannis. SMH.
Happy birthday Gene Banks and Freeman Williams.
People criticize Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau for playing his starters too much. Josh Hart talks about it in this story. Love Hart’s comments. I don’t know when and where this resting business started. This is basketball. Play the game. Load management is the worst thing that’s happened. They’re making millions of dollars to run up and down the court. Man-up, chumps.
“You expect ignorance when people have no idea what goes on in this building,” Hart said after the Knicks’ morning shootaround in Tarrytown. “People love to have a narrative or a label and run with it. None of those guys are here watching us practice. None of those guys are watching what we do. At the end of the day, seventh year of my career, I’ve probably had more off days than I’ve had in other days. We don’t go contact in practice. Everyone thinks we do three-hour practices of scrimmaging. It’s idiotic to put it on him. He’s not going to say anything about it. He’s going to take it on the chin and keep on moving.”