The Miami Heat were the clear favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2013 NBA Finals. If there was one team in the East people gave the best chance to compete with Miami though, the New York Knicks were commonly found at the top of the list.
As New York enters the Game 5 match-up with the Pacers however, it's Indiana and not New York with the highest chance of advancing to face Miami after the Heat recently disposed of the Bulls to advance to the Conference Finals.
Trailing 3-1 and needing a win to continue their season, the Knicks will host the Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Thursday, May 16th at 8:00pm, EDT. Television coverage will be provided by the TNT network.
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New York dropped the series opener at home but quickly responded with an offensive explosion in Game 2, evening the semifinals at 1 game apiece as the contest shifted to Indianapolis.
Since scoring 105 points in the 26-point Game 2 victory, the Knicks offense has gone stagnant as there seems to be no one capable of providing premier scorer Carmelo Anthony with support, something Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said needs to change moving forward.
"All you can do is continue to shoot and you shoot the next one, you've got to feel good about that it's going to go in," Woodson said to NBA.com reporters. "Right now we're kind of looking over our shoulders."
Dropping the last two games in Indiana - both by double figures - NY shot 35.2% and 35.6% percent respectively, while getting outhustled and significantly outrebounded in both games.
While Carmelo Anthony scored a total of 45 points during the last two Knick losses, his supposed wingman - NBA Sixth Man of the Year award winner JR Smith - has been missing in action. As he continues to struggle from the field, Smith is confident he can turn it around moving forward.
"We've just got to keep fighting," Smith said to ESPN. "My confidence is still high. Just get shots up and stay the course, play my game."
Smith shot 4-of-12 from the floor for 9 points in the Game 3 loss and 7-for-22 for 19 points in Game 4.
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The Knicks have clearly struggled offensively and while they continue to try and correct their shortcomings, the Indiana Pacers have been outstanding on both sides of the ball.
In the 93-82 Game 4 win, Pacers guard George Hill was phenomenal, scoring 26 points on an efficient 9-of-14 from the field in 37 minutes of action.
"He was spectacular, maybe the best game I've ever seen him play," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said to NBA reporters. "He was just making all the winning plays. He not only executed our offense, he bailed us out a few times when things broke down late in the shot clock."
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If the Pacers continue to click in all facets of the game, New York's season could come to an end on their home floor.
Be sure to catch Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals as the New York Knicks hope to extend the series when they host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, May 16th. Tip time is set for 8:00pm, EDT with coverage available through the TNT television network.
WATCH Highlights From Indiana's Game 4 Victory:
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