The New York Knicks are facing a daunting 0-2 hole in the Eastern Conference Finals after falling 114-109 to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, and Mikal Bridges pointed to defensive breakdowns and slow starts as key issues.
Bridges, who logged a game-high 45 minutes in the loss, emphasized the need for sharper execution at the start of the fourth quarter, when Indiana opened with a decisive 13-4 run.
“We just got to start the fourth a little bit better,” Bridges said during his postgame availability. “They went up seven or something… we just got to be better defensively, talk to each other, and offensively just know what we getting into.”
Asked about specific lapses during Indiana’s late surge, Bridges admitted to missing a coverage and said the group failed to communicate and offer help on key possessions.
“I messed us up one time,” he acknowledged. “You know, great team and they find the right plays. You just got to follow the game plan and help each other.”
Indiana’s efficient attack featured 39 points from Pascal Siakam and critical pick-and-roll playmaking from T.J. McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton, who combined for 15 assists and kept New York’s defense in rotation.
The Knicks’ starting unit has struggled throughout the postseason and currently sits at minus-81 in plus-minus, a stat that Bridges didn’t directly refute but chalked up to tentative play.
“I think maybe we’re just playing a little too soft in the beginning of the halves,” he said. “Just got to talk to each other off the jump and be physical.”
The Knicks, who were up 2-0 in their previous series against Boston, now find themselves on the other end of that scenario heading into Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Bridges stressed the importance of a reset mindset, saying, “Just taking one game at a time… we just got to find different ways to advance.”
Despite Jalen Brunson’s 36 points and 11 assists, the Knicks were unable to close out either of the first two games, both of which were decided in the final moments.
“Just got to finish the games off,” Bridges said. “Hell of a team, really well coached, and they play well at the end.”
New York now must win at least one game in Indiana to keep its season alive. No team has ever come back from losing the first two games at home in a conference finals.
Game 3 tips off Sunday night, with the Knicks needing answers quickly to prevent a 3-0 deficit that has historically been insurmountable.
