After sadly losing last year in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the NY Knicks are set to face their old rivals at their home court, Madison Square Garden. Though it took 25 long years, the odds look in NY’s favor. “The goal is always to win a championship, and so we’ve got eight wins. You need 16, right?” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.

Last season, the Knicks led by 2 points over the Pacers, but in Game 7, they reversed the script. This season, they have managed to close 20 20-point deficits against the defending champion Boston Celtics. While definitely noteworthy, the Pacers defeated the Cavaliers in five games, ending predictions that the Cavs would dispatch with ease. Well, that’s how the playoffs are, unpredictable!

While NY houses an extraordinary roster with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby, they struggle to play a cohesive game. Focusing on their All-Star point guard, Brunson, the games often stagnate. Likewise, the effectiveness of their offense suffers, so the Knicks must commit to a holistic approach, which would include their defensive wing. OG Anunoby has averaged 19.0 points per game in the Knicks’ victories, so tallying him with KAT’s 24.4 points per game could get the Knicks the victory they are so long overdue.

Keeping in mind the importance of NY’s performance, the fans are eager to know which faces they should expect to see on court. Well, it is a lucky day to be a Knicks fan because they are expected to return to court with a full roster. According to the injury reports posted by ESPN, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, with their entire team, are joining the Pacers for a showdown tonight. With that settled, let’s find out exactly what the lineup for the match could look like.

Will the Knicks finally make it past Game 1 of the ECF?

While everyone’s eyes will be on the court, two more people impact the game as much as the players, if not more. Tom Thibodeau and Rick Carlisle, the Knicks and Pacers coaches, make the decisions that shape the future of the franchise. The Knicks, for the moment, must recover from their streak of bad third quarters, so it is important that Thibodeau make use of their pieces. With that, let’s find out what the Knicks’ lineup for tonight’s match could look like:

While the Celtics rely on three-pointers, the Pacers have more tricks up their sleeves. Coach Carlisle makes use of his entire bench by constantly changing the rotation. With almost 11 players on the court on a roll, the Pacers averaged 39.8 points per game. Likewise, Aaron Nesmith shooting 48.2 percent of his threes in the playoffs, and Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner in the lead, the Pacers’ defense is solid. So, let’s see what the starting lineup for them looks like:

Both teams present a noteworthy front and the Western Conference Finals are sure to be pretty exciting. The Knicks need to be consistent throughout 48 minutes if they intend to win. The rest we will find out tonight.