The New York Knicks have played a playoff matchup with the Indiana Pacers, and Stephen A. Smith believes the Knicks have a clear advantage.
The New York Knicks bouncing back to appear in the conference finals in 25 years after losing to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. There, they will see familiar faces, and Game 1 between the Knicks and the Pacers will be set for May 21st.
The Knicks defeated both the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics in six games, while the Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers in five games each. In the East, the Pacers are probably the deepest team, but Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith believes New York has a clear advantage.
This season, both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will have an All-Star Game, with both of them garnering MVP votes. Meanwhile, Indiana got off to a late start, so Pascal Siakam was their only All-Star.
Despite having a late-season star in Tyrese Halliburton, it’s hard to imagine Pacer making an all-NBA team despite winning 50 games in just 10 times in franchise history.
Halliburton was named the league’s most overrated player in an anonymous poll, but dispelled that concept with a shot he won in two games this postseason. Still, the experts aren’t ready to infuse him with a “superstar.”
“Haliburton is not overrated,” Smith said on ESPN. “He can play, he can close, and I give him crazy credibility on it. But he’s not a superstar.”
Meanwhile, Branson has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA despite being overlooked with the Dallas Mavericks, and is already one of the best players in Knicks history.
“We’ve seen them do some good things considering the small Branson, the load he carries as New York is doing Knicks offensively, but I’d argue that they’re doing some good considering the offensive efficiency of the Indiana Pacers and the numerous bodies they have, the depth they have, and Halliburton isn’t asked to attack them like York so Jeren Branson continued York.”
“And I’ve got that load on the biggest stage, and after losing in the postseason, I averaged 36 games and did what I did for the New York Knicks after he arrived.”
Branson is a better player than Halliburton, but his stardom isn’t that important in the 7-game series.
Smith is right. Branson has emerged as a top 10 player in the league, and while Halliburton isn’t too late, he’s definitely not a Branson talent.
Plus, Branson is the biggest star in the world’s largest sports media market. Only Judge Aaron is comparable to him in New York, and he is quickly loved by his fans.
Pacer is ecstatic about stardom.
In the first round, Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the world’s best three players, allowed an average of 33 points. In the second round, Donovan Mitchell averaged 34.2 and scored over 40 points.
However, Indiana cruised past both the Cavs and Bucks by taking out the supporting cast. Last season, they beat the Knicks in the playoffs in seven games. This season they are more physical and deeper and don’t seem to care who will line up with them.
The Knicks may have a superstar, but so did the Bucks and the Cavaliers.