INDIANAPOLIS — While Jalen Brunson was being pestered into a 2-for-13 first half against swarms of double-teams and triple-teams, the Knicks’ other two starting guards began the game in a nice offensive rhythm.
Donte DiVincenzo and Miles McBride netted 15 points apiece through the first two quarters.
But while Brunson figured things out after intermission with 26 of his 31 points, the other duo went cold and combined for just seven points in the second half of a 116-103 Game 6 loss to the Pacers on Friday night.
“I think they were just flying around,” McBride, who has started the past two games, said of the Pacers afterward. “They were rotating pretty well, just trying to run us off the 3-point line. I think a lot of it also came from us getting stops, and then we weren’t getting stops.”
While Brunson couldn’t get untracked in the first half, McBride and DiVincenzo kept the Knicks within striking distance with 30 points between them on a combined 12-for-18 from the floor, including three 3-pointers apiece.
But DiVincenzo managed only two free throws in the final two quarters while missing all four of his field-goal attempts.
McBride also attempted only four shots, making two and adding five points to his total.
“I think we go back and watch the film and see how we can adjust on the offensive end,” DiVincenzo said. “I think we’re at our best when [we are] going side to side, we’re getting downhill, we’re spraying the ball.
“I think they did a good job of taking all of what we do away, so you have to give them credit. But at the same time, we will make adjustments. We will have the understanding of how we won games all season. And there’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll respond on Sunday.”
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