The Indiana Pacers shocked the world and [stole a Game 1 victory](https://8points9seconds.com/indiana-pacers-did-something-nba-fans-have-no-chance-ever-seeing-again) against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. Though many Pacers stepped up when the team needed it most, there were others who left a lot to be desired on the court. This includes backup big man Thomas Bryant, who may be out of the playoff rotation from here on out.
In the win, Bryant recorded four points and two rebounds in 13 minutes of play. Additionally, he was a -11 on the court. While he provides depth and is a solid big man, the Indiana alum should not be getting many playoff minutes, if any at all. Game 1 was further proof of that, and head coach Rick Carlisle has some decisions he must make ahead of Friday night's Game 2.
Thomas Bryant does not provide enough value on the floor
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Bryant is a fine backup center for the regular season, but he is too much of a liability on both sides of the ball in the playoffs when the opposing teams are playing their best players as much as possible. Furthermore, he does not provide much value as a rebounding big either. The Pacers are in a tough spot as they do not have another reliable big man behind Myles Turner. However, Obi Toppin is a serviceable small-ball center, and he [came up big in Game 1](https://8points9seconds.com/indiana-pacers-obi-toppin-gets-laugh-on-knicks-he-s-been-waiting-years-for) when he was on the court.
In the first two rounds, Carlisle used a unique strategy and essentially ran an 11-man rotation. This is uncommon in the playoffs as most teams trim their rotations, so it was interesting that Carlisle made this choice. It works for the Pacers specifically because they have good depth, and resting their starters as much as possible gives them greater opportunities to play the high-energy brand of basketball they are known for. This is why Bryant has gotten playoff minutes up to this point, but it might be time for a change.
Carlisle trimmed the rotation just a bit in Game 1 against New York, only playing 10 guys in total. While this looks like a step in the right direction as the Pacers continue to inch closer to their title dreams, it is clear that they need to take it a step further and also take Bryant out of the rotation, or at least play him as little as possible. If Carlisle makes this decision, the Pacers will be in a good spot for the rest of the series.