Pacers take 2-0 lead

Here are the 5 takeaways from the Indiana Pacers’ 114-109 win over the New York Knicks, which puts them up 2-0 in the series

– The Pacers’ offense has reached a new level in the playoffs, led by Tyrese Haliburton’s floor generalship, pace, ball movement, and player movement. They’ve scored 126.6 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark in the conference finals or Finals in 29 years. Pascal Siakam’s 39 points in Game 2 were a playoff career-high.

– The Pacers have a huge advantage in transition, outscoring the Knicks 51-26 over two games. They’ve scored efficiently in transition, with 1.55 points per possession, while the Knicks have managed only 0.76 points per possession.

– Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points, including 10 transition points, and did significant damage in the half-court. He’s one of the top scorers in the playoffs, with an effective field goal percentage of 60.1%.

– The Pacers had success attacking Jalen Brunson in pick-and-roll situations, drawing help from Mitchell Robinson and finding open teammates for big shots. Brunson has been the screener’s defender for 46 ball-screens in this series.

– The Pacers’ bench has struggled, leading coach Rick Carlisle to shuffle the rotation. Bennedict Mathurin and Thomas Bryant saw limited minutes in Game 2, while Tony Bradley played more than expected. The Pacers need contributions from more than five players to win the series.