Indiana Pacers Beat Knicks In Playoff Game One

In a bit of a surprise today, the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks in the first game of their Round two playoff series, 102-95. But, it wasn't so much that they won the game that was a surprise, it was the manner in which they dominated certain aspects of the game that was a surprise to most fans of basketball.

A lot of the focus in this series was strength on strength - Tyson Chandler vs. Roy Hibbert. Paul George vs. Carmelo Anthony. George Hill vs. Raymond Felton.

People wondered if the Pacers superb defense could slow the very good Knicks offense? And they did slow it, and they frustrated Carmelo Anthony into shooting 10 out of 28 from the field.

However, it was the other end of the court that was key for Game 1 - the Knicks could not stop the Pacers offense. Indiana worked the ball inside-out, worked it from the strong-side to the weak with good passing, and New York couldn't catch up and contest shots.

Indiana shot the ball better, got to the free throw line more, and grabbed more offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds. As a result, the Pacers lead the series 1-0 with Game 2 scheduled for Tuesday night in New York.

The concern for the Knicks is that the Pacers are in some key structural ways a better version of the Boston Celtics - a defense-first team that can be limited on offense. But the Pacers have better athletes as well as big men who can score (David West had 20 points, Roy Hibbert 14) than Boston did.

The Pacers pulled away in the third and a lot of that had to do with Hibbert - he outplayed Chandler all night. The Knicks need to do something to pull him out of the paint because when he gets set up back there he blocks and alters everything around the rim. The Knicks struggled with that, or containing him on offense (Chandler eventually fouled out of the game.

The Knicks tried to exploit mismatches like David West on Carmelo Anthony at points, but Melo finished with 28 points but on 28 shots..

Chandler and Anthony need to have a better defensive night - Indiana's front line of Hibbert, West and George had 53 points and 14 rebounds. The Pacers won the points in the paint battle 46-32.

New York is going to have to change that to win this series, one in which they have now given up home court advantage.