INDIANAPOLIS — The bloom is off the rose with the brand new beginning lineup.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau ran again the reworked beginning unit he utilized in Sport 3 — inserting Mitchell Robinson instead of Josh Hart.
However this time round, it produced tough ends in a 130-121 Sport 4 loss to the Pacers on Tuesday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
That unit fell behind 16-11 to start out the sport earlier than Karl-Anthony Cities subbed out with 7:48 left within the first quarter after selecting up his second foul.
Then when the unit was again on the ground collectively to start out the third quarter, they gave up a right away 7-0 run to fall behind by 12 factors.
The Knicks entered halftime trailing by 5, and when Robinson got here out for Hart with 5:55 left within the third quarter, they trailed by eight.
“There’s obviously some good, but also things we have to do a lot better,” Thibodeau mentioned of the unit. “I don’t think we had a good grouping. … We start the third without great energy, and you can’t do that. Once it gets to double figures, now they’ve got more confidence. We gotta make sure we play with the proper approach and intensity and force and be connected.”
In Sport 3, the beginning unit was plus-1. However Robinson’s struggles on Tuesday meant the group was not almost as efficient this time round.
He was a team-worst minus-20.
He didn’t play in any respect within the fourth quarter, with Thibodeau opting to go along with Hart as an alternative till he fouled out.
“I’m going to start off with myself,” Robinson mentioned. “Feel like I got off to a slow start, especially in the first half. Started to pick it up in the second. I can’t allow that, especially at the time right now. Just got to be better from the jump.”
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The starters’ woes have hovered over the Knicks the entire postseason. Thibodeau’s change reaped rewards for one sport.
However Tuesday evening, the issue got here roaring again.
