Indianapolis – While the rotation of Tom Thibodeau becomes even shorter as the playoffs progress, Rick Carlisle went to 11 deep
After admitting that his team was outdone on the boards of match 1, Carlisle turned to the great man of the reserve little used Tony Bradley for a few short stays to fight the athletics of Mitchell Robinson on the boards.
Bradley had only played 17 minutes of cleaning service in four appearances in the playoff series, but he hit the bodies a few times and took some rebounds with a positive note of more -1 in eight minutes – four each in the second and third quarters – in the victory of 114-109 of the Pacers in match 2 in the garden.
“Tony Bradley did not play in the series, but he is one of our best rebounders,” said Carlisle after the match. “We have chosen to accompany him to spell Myles [Turner] a little bit. We are a team that needs everyone. This is how we have to play. “”
Turner and the Relief Center Thomas Bryant each won two faults in the first half, and Carlisle did not hesitate to turn to 6 feet 10 inches, a choice of first round in 2017 in North Carolina.
On the other hand, the reliable veteran Big Precious Achiuwa and the PJ Tucker pick-up did not withdraw the Knicks bench in the two games.
Thibodeau only used Robinson and Mile McBride and the distribution of heavy minutes to his five departure.
Follow the coverage of the Knicks position in the NBA 2025 qualifiers
Sports + subscribers: Register for Inside The Knicks to obtain daily coverage of Newsletter and join an expert socket for initiate texts on the series.
The rescue guard, Cam Payne, was the only other second team player to enter the match, and he recorded nine minutes aimlessly.
“I was just ready when my name was called,” said Bradley, 27, according to Indianapolis star. “I work hard every day while staying in good shape, just being a good teammate. I’m ready to go hard. That’s all I know.
“I was just focused on maintaining Robinson out of the glass. Stay in touch with him, keep a body on him. Trying to get him tired. “
The Pacers are up 2-0 despite the Knicks holding an 84-70 bounce edge, seven others in each match.
Robinson recorded a height of the 29-minute playoff series for the Knicks, including several alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, who sat for a seven-minute section of the fourth quarter.
Robinson finished the match with six points, nine rebounds (four offensive) and three blocked shots, but only one of his rebounds came with Bradley on the field.
“Shoutout at Tony Bradley. Tony Bradley was huge,” said goalkeeper of the Pacers Tyrese Haliburton. “He came for us and was really launched with our group which has been together for so long. Tony is just a great guy and contributes in many different ways.
“When we do our scout through all these series, he had to be the Scout Center. There were times when he is thrown in our first group to take some of the representatives of Myles when the guys cross things or are a little struck or whatever the case. It is so special to see what our group does.”
