The Indiana Pacers went into Madison Square Garden to face off against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals and won not just one, but both of the first two games of the series.
Heading back to Indiana with a 2-0 series lead was not something that many fans or analysts expected to see happen. Despite that fact, the Pacers find a 2-0 lead to be their reality.
In Game 2, Indiana was able to outlast the Knicks by a final score of 114-109. Pascal Siakam led the way with an impressive 39-point performance.
Following the Game 2 win and taking a 2-0 series lead, Pacers’ guard Andrew Nembhard has spoken out with a very bold message. He believes experience has made playing at Madison Square Garden much easier this year as compared to last.
Read more: Pacers Send 4-Word Message After Huge Game 2 Win Over Knicks
“Playing at MSG doesn’t feel as big as it did last year,” Nembhard said. “Experience is the biggest teacher.”
Last season, Indiana played the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. The series went to seven games, with the Pacers pulling out a Game 7 win in New York to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost in that series to the Boston Celtics.
Nembhard has been a huge part of Indiana’s postseason run. In the 12 games he has played, he has averaged 14.4 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 53.1 percent from three-point range. He has also brought elite defense each and every game.
While the Pacers are feeling good about their 2-0 series lead over the Knicks, there is more work to be done. Rick Carlisle, the team’s head coach, spoke out with a warning to his team ahead of Game 3.
“You cannot assume going home is gonna be easier,” Carlisle said.
Read more: Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau Facing Stern Criticism from Former NBA Star
Indiana has adopted a team-first approach over the last few years. The Pacers have embraced that motto, and that has shown in the playoffs. Pascal Siakam spoke out after the Game 2 win about that very subject.
“That’s what I love so much about this team, we don’t care who scores, we just want to win the game,” Siakam said. “Another night it’s going to be somebody else, that’s what makes us special.”
Game 3 will be played on Sunday night in Indiana at 8 p.m. ET. Fans in Indianapolis will have a busy day, with the Indy 500 running at 12:45 p.m. ET. The Pacers will look to take a stranglehold on the series with a win and a 3-0 series lead.
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