Even as an Indiana Pacers fan I will have to admit that the Knicks performance this past Tuesday was impressive.  Carmelo Anthony appeared to break out of his shooting slump adding 32 points while make half of the shots he attempted.  New York had five players in double figures and was able to force Indiana into 21 turnovers.

That being said I believe there were other factors involved in the loss.

Roy Hibbert was held to 6 points on 3-7 shooting.  I believe that this simply isn’t enough for him.  In order to open up the opportunities for the back-court and supporting cast from the bench it is important for Roy to be aggressive offensively.  He is easily a physical force to be reckoned with and needs to exploit that.  We know that he has the ability to produce 20+ points a game and remain effective on the defensive end of the court.

Quite often in the games when he displays his abilities the opposing teams’ big men get into foul trouble. The attention that Hibbert demands also allows for the perimeter shooters to get open looks and also opens up the lanes for our players who are able to create their own shots from penetration.

Call me old-fashioned if you like, but I believe that utilizing the post play is key for a truly effective offense.  It will also take the pressure of players like Paul George and David West so that they may play a little more relaxed and allow for the game to come to them.

Roy Hibbert has shown what he can do.  I think it’s time for not only Roy to assert himself more, but for the coaches to faithfully work on utilizing him.  Should this be the case in Game 3 I predict the Pacers to blowout the Knicks.

May 5, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts to a call by the referee during the second half of game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

In tonight’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals there are some questions that will remain to be answered.  Will Roy Hibbert and David West continue to make the necessary contributions that it takes for the Pacers to win with ease?  Will Indiana’s physical defense continue to disrupt the productivity of New York’s offensive production?  Are the Pacers ready to become the elite team they have shown signs of being capable of?

The answers for me are yes.

Looking back to the first round series with the Hawks I have noticed that in the latter games with Atlanta that the Pacers starting coming into their own.  It appeared to me that while their defense improved so did their offensive confidence.  Combining the utilization of the post-up play of both Hibbert and West with their defense creating easy buckets in the transition game, the Pacers have become dominant.  This became extremely apparent in their Game 1 victory over New York in Madison Square Garden.

I imagine that Coach Frank Vogel will be telling his guys to keep pushing the Knicks around on the defensive end of the court.  New York’s Carmello Anthony was obviously frustrated in the post-game interview and the Pacers will want to exploit that.  The league has declined in the amount of fouls called over the past few seasons and this allows opportunities for a defense that is designed like Indiana’s.

Although Paul George had a fairly quiet Game 1 I will look for him to get going early.  Indiana will continue to take advantage of their size and physicality at the rim and this should open up chances for the Pacers perimeter shooters.  Add in the penetration ability of our backcourt and it should prove difficult for the Knicks to overcome an excited and motivated Indiana squad.

New York will try to get back on track, but this task should prove difficult as the Pacers are coming together at the perfect time of the year.