Ahead of Game 3 of the Knicks-Pacers series, Charles Barkley expressed a clear lack of enchantment with the Indiana Pacers' performances over the first set of games in New York. He said:
"We can't overreact... I'm saying this with a sense of urgency. Let's not sit here and act like the Pacers blew these guys out two games in a row."
Barkley was then asked whether Indiana had an easier time snatching victory away in Game 2 by Kenny Smith. He responded to this by saying, "They [Knicks] blew Game 1. Let's get that out of the way. Game 2 was- I'm just saying. We can't act like the Pacers scored a touchdown or something better than [that]."
He concluded by stating, "Listen, if the Knicks play well, they can get back in this series tonight."
Barkley's hope for the Knicks may not be misplaced. The New York Knicks have been a rather unpredictable team when the odds have been stacked against them in the postseason. By the same token, the Pacers have also shown a similar ability to claw their way back into games.
The Pacers managed to steal the first two games on the road. Especially considering the thriller ending in Game 1, Indiana has looked like a "hungrier" team, something that doesn't bode well for a Knicks team carrying the hopes of a city in desperate need of title success.
While the Knicks have made some adjustments ahead of Game 3, the results have not been impressive thus far.
Charles Barkley Skeptical About New York Knicks Lineup Change
The New York Knicks opted to make some changes to their roster for Game 3 by bringing big man Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup. Robinson's defensive and rebounding upside has made him appear to be a key player in the series, but Barkley wasn't convinced of this.
"I have no idea what that would do," said the panelist while discussing Robinson's addition to the starting rotation. "They might be better rebounding, but I don't like the change because they only run one play. They run the pick-and-roll... I just don't understand Mitchell and Big KAT out there together, what that would do."
'It makes them slower," he added. "Would they be a better rebounding team? They'd be a better rebounding team, but they'd be worse defensively... I just don't understand what you're trying to prove with the substitution."
Barkley's skepticism may be justified as the Knicks find themselves in a rather tough spot heading into the second half of the game. While facing a 45-58 deficit, New York is far from being an ideal spot.
Robinson has had some impact on the rebounding front, adding six rebounds to the overall tally. The same, however, cannot be said for his defense.
While he has altered some shots, his matchup, Myles Turner, has been having a hyper-efficient game, shooting 5-7 from the field thus far to put up 11 points for the Pacers.
The Knicks find themselves in a difficult position. Although their perimeter defense has held off the Pacers' three-point shooting barrage, Tyrese Haliburton has masterfully run the half-court offense and facilitated scoring opportunities for the team within the three-point line.
With a significant lead, Indiana looks like they are well on their way to running away with a win in Game 3.
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