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Are the Pacers done against the Knicks? Plus, what does Nikola Jokic’s third MVP mean?

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It’s weird we only had one game last night, but that’ll be the best we can do pretty soon!

More Like Thrillanova, Amirite?

Knicks go superNOVA in Game 2 win

New York reuniting as many Villanova teammates as possible has made life very easy for the Knicks and their fans. In Game 2 against the Pacers, New York got 76 combined points from Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart in its 130-121 home win. Hart had a good first half (10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal) before fellow former Wildcats DiVincenzo (20 points, four 3s) and Brunson (24 points, four assists) added big second-half performances to give the Knicks a 2-0 semifinals lead. This trio – along with OG Anunoby’s 28 points in 28 minutes before he left with a hamstring injury – has created ginormous matchup and effort issues for Indy.

While Pacers coach Rick Carlisle believes his only recourse is blaming officiating and filing Daryl Morey-esque grievances, Indiana’s true problem is staying even with the Villanova guys, let alone getting ahead. The same goes for Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who have been respectively spectacular. Second-half defense and late-game execution have been brutal problems for the Pacers. Brunson has scored 35 points in this series … in the fourth quarters alone! He had 21 points in the final period of Game 1 and added 14 to cap Game 2 – on a bum foot, to boot.

We’ll see how the Pacers, upon returning home, respond in Game 3 on Friday.

Three thoughts for Game 3 and beyond:

1) Will Anunoby (hamstring) and Brunson (foot) be healthy? Brunson left for a big chunk of the first half but thankfully returned for a great second half and finished the game. But that foot will be sore, so we’ll have to see its effects on him. Anunoby leaving Game 2 without returning is definitely concerning. He was so good in the first half (22 points one shy of career high for any half) and makes life hard for the Pacers. The Knicks will need both guys in Indy.

2) Is it time for the Pacers to start T.J. McConnell? It’s pretty clear McConnell gives them a boost, is one of the few Pacers who plays good defense and has a major impact on the game. He’s scoring and passing, which helped him be pretty good in the first two games. It’s clear Andrew Nembhard has zero chance of defending Brunson. Sure, maybe McConnell won’t impact the course of a full game. I understand they like him off the bench better, but something needs to change.

3) Can Haliburton use this game to ignite his play? Tyrese Haliburton finished with 34 points, nine assists, six rebounds, three steals and just two turnovers. After shooting only six times in Game 1, he went 11 of 19 overall and 7 of 11 from deep in Game 2. Haliburton had 10 in the fourth quarter, as well. This has to be his standard for every game the rest of the series. Otherwise, they’re done.

Overreaction Prediction Recalibration: I’m worried about the Knicks’ injuries, so I’ll push this back to Knicks in six.

The Latest From Shams

Police looking into Beverley incident

Indianapolis police are investigating the ball-throwing incident involving Bucks guard Patrick Beverley that occurred during Game 6 of the Bucks-Pacers series May 2.

A police spokesperson told Mike Vorkunov and me that detectives are working with Gainbridge Fieldhouse to review video footage and plan to speak with those involved. The result of the investigation will be presented to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, which will decide whether to bring charges. The NBA also has been looking into the matter.

Elsewhere, Thanasis Antetokounmpo tore his Achilles during a workout this week, league sources say. The NBA veteran, who has spent the past five years playing with his brother Giannis on the Bucks, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The injury and subsequent surgery will keep the 31-year-old Thanasis from competing for a spot on Greece’s national team for the Paris Olympics.

Jokic Wins MVP

Third good and bad(?) historically

For the third time in four years, Nikola Jokić is the overwhelming pick for the Most Valuable Player award. Every time he’s won it, there’s been a massive distance between his first-place votes and the field’s. In 2021, Jokić received 91 first-place votes. In 2022, he received 65 first-place votes compared to Joel Embiid’s 26 first-place nods. This year, he received 79 of them, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coming in second in overall voting points and first-place votes (15).

Luka Dončić finished third on the ballot, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson and Jayson Tatum. Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Durant also received votes on the ballot.

Jokić has reached some rarified air, becoming the ninth player in NBA history to win at least three MVP awards. Moses Malone, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird also have three. Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James took home four. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell each totaled five as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s six eclipses everyone else. Though Jokić joins Russell, Chamberlain, Kareem, Bird, Magic and LeBron to win three MVPs within a four-year window, he’s also potentially in some less fortunate company with this MVP.

It’s no secret the Nuggets are surprisingly down 0-2 to the Timberwolves, as Minnesota dominated them in Denver. Since the NBA/ABA Merger in 1976, 14 of the league’s 47 MVPs failed to reach the conference finals. The last four MVP winners (including both of Jokić’s prior wins) didn’t advance past the second round. So, as John Hollinger rightfully wonders when we put Jokić into the GOAT conversation (we’ve wondered the same thing), he and the Nuggets must figure out how to get back in their semifinals series within the next two games in Minneapolis.

Outside The NBA?

What does “Inside the NBA” mean to you?

Admittedly, I got a little worried today when I read Andrew Marchand’s article about the future of TNT as a broadcast partner with the NBA. As the league renegotiates with broadcasting partners, there is a potential bluff to be called with Warner Bros. Discovery. Months ago, Discovery CEO David Zaslav said “TNT doesn’t need the NBA.” Now, though, as it looks like the NBA will add Amazon Prime as a partner, and the final portion could go to TNT or NBC, if not both, we have a potential future in which TNT isn’t broadcasting NBA games anymore.

Normally, I wouldn’t care which platform airs games. I watch hoops no matter where games are to be found. League Pass is fired up every night in the regular season, and nationally televised games are routinely consumed. But what about “Inside the NBA” going away if TNT doesn’t have league rights? It’s reported that Charles Barkley can leave for another platform if TNT loses rights, but “Inside the NBA” has been a staple of NBA coverage for decades. It is the best basketball show on TV, and it’s not even close. The quartet of Chuck, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal is essential to any basketball week. I want to dive into this a little bit in the next week of newsletters, so I have a request for you, the Bounce reader. 🫵

We want to hear from you! We’ve made a trusty little Google Form with seven questions about “Inside the NBA,” its future, its importance and much more. You can click this link to vote and answer these questions, and we’ll publish the results. As always, we appreciate your support of the Bounce and your participation in this survey.

Bounce Passes

Chris Finch hasn’t let a surgically repaired knee tendon stop him from coaching the Wolves.

It’s crazy this is just the first chapter of Victor Wembanyama’s career.

Derrick White’s jump shot is killing Celtics opponents.

Screen Game (All times Eastern)

  • The Fun One: Mavericks–Thunder (9:30 p.m. ESPN). Let’s hope we see a close one in Game 2.
  • How We Get to the Fun One: Cavaliers–Celtics (7 p.m. ESPN). I genuinely don’t know if Cleveland can lose a game in this series by only single digits. Full schedule here.

(Top photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images )

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