Alright, basketball fanatics, grab your popcorn because the Eastern Conference Finals just served up another piping hot dish of drama, and this time, the spotlight isn’t just on the players. This series is now diving deep into baffling coaching decisions, questionable minutes, and the always-unfiltered voice of Stephen A. Smith, who just went off on a certain head coach. When Stephen A. is fired up, you know it’s about to get real!

Game 2? Another heartbreaker for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Indiana Pacers snatched another one, winning 114-109 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead heading back to Indy. Pascal Siakam—man, that dude was on another level, dropping a playoff career-high 39 points like it was nothing. The Pacers are just rolling right now, 10-2 this postseason, winning six straight road playoff games. Meanwhile, the Knicks, even with Jalen Brunson putting up 36 points, just couldn’t get it done. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each chipped in 20, but it wasn’t enough to stop the bleeding.

But here’s where the real drama unfolds, the kind that makes you yell at your TV. Everyone’s scratching their heads, wondering: What in the world was Tom Thibodeau thinking with Karl-Anthony Towns’ minutes?! And you know who wasn’t holding back his frustration?

None other than Stephen A. Smith, who immediately took to Twitter with a classic, fiery rant. He was absolutely livid, proclaiming: “I am trying to keep my cool, you know, there’s always hope. But I don’t understand for the life of me How in the hell has Tom Thibodeau has KAT playing only 28 minutes? He’s going to tell us it was defense. But with Mitchell Robinson on the court, the deficit increased.” You could practically feel the steam coming off his video.

Thibodeau, true to form, tried to explain his decision after the game, saying, “The group that was in there gave us a chance, searching for a way to win.” But let’s be real, coach, the numbers aren’t exactly backing that up. That “group” he rolled out to start the fourth quarter – Miles McBride, Cam Payne, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson – saw a tied game (81 each at the end of the third quarter) turn into a nine-point deficit in less than three minutes. Seriously, a tied game!

The Knicks’ starting lineup, including KAT, was outscored by a whopping 13 points in Game 2 alone, and a brutal 29 points in the series so far. And get this: KAT himself was a -20 on the floor. It’s tough to justify those limited minutes when the results were, well, disastrous.

Knicks’ playoff vibe check: Not it (Is the comeback arc even loading?)

Okay, so the Knicks are down 0-2. And let me tell you, for a team that lost both home games? That’s not just a deficit, but a gut punch. History is screaming at them right now: teams that fall into a 0-2 hole in the Conference Finals have a grim overall record. And if they somehow, somehow drop Game 3 on Sunday? It’s lights out. No team in NBA history has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

Meanwhile, the Pacers are snatching wins on the road like it’s their second home. Pascal Siakam is playing like he found his signature Pacers moment. Tyrese Haliburton is still pulling the strings, dishing out dimes and keeping that offense humming. The best thing about the Pacers is that they play as a collective. It’s never a ‘one-man show’ here.

For the Knicks, the path to a comeback is tough but not impossible. Their fourth-quarter execution has been, to put it mildly, a disaster. For the second straight game, late-game struggles proved fatal. In Game 1, they fumbled a 14-point lead in the final minutes. In Game 2, we saw Jalen Brunson, the literal NBA Clutch Player of the Year, dribble away precious seconds before launching a rushed, deep 3-pointer that sealed their fate. It’s baffling, honestly. Why isn’t the offense flowing when it matters most? Is it fatigue? Is it a lack of trust in teammates? Whatever it is, it’s costing them dearly. They need to fix this.

So, what’s the game plan for the Knicks to actually turn this around? First, they’ve got to find some offensive rhythm beyond Jalen Brunson. Pascal Siakam is feasting, and the Knicks need to counter with more consistent scoring from Towns, Bridges, and even their bench. Speaking of KAT, if he’s going to be on the floor, he needs to be a two-way force, not a defensive liability. Maybe that means a different defensive scheme that better utilizes his offensive firepower while masking his weaknesses.

Second, the defensive intensity needs to be there for a full 48 minutes, especially on the boards. The Pacers are relentless, and the Knicks are getting outworked on 50-50 balls. Finally, the late-game offense has to be sharper. Brunson is a clutch player, but he can’t do it all. They need better sets, more movement, and a willingness to trust other guys to make plays in crunch time.

This is a high-stakes poker game, and right now, the Knicks are bluffing with a weak hand – they need to find some aces, fast.