
The New York Knicks face a feat hardly any team in league history has overcome.
Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem certainly didn’t make it any better. As the Knicks try to overcome their 3-1 deficit against the Indiana Pacers, Haslem is giving them zero chance to pull it off.
“Not a chance in hell, not a chance in hell,” Haslem said on ESPN Wednesday. “Because KAT had 24 [points] and 12 [rebounds], Brunson had 31 [points], and [Mikal] Bridges had 17 [points]. Your [best] guys got off, and you still lost. The only thing you can look at and say is [they] gave up 17 turnovers for [22] points, and you can look at [head coach] Tibs, who has literally exhausted every single option.”
Haslem has made headlines for some of his Knicks criticism all season, so this is likely his crowning moment as they are on the verge of elimination. New York was favored by many to win the series, especially in the sports media. However, their chances dwindled as the postseason developed, and their late Game 4 collapse has them fighting for their playoff lives.
Most Knicks performed up to par but have been consistently outplayed by Indiana’s depth. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a historic 32-point triple-double, with Benedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith contributing meaningful minutes. Now, they are possibly 48 more minutes away from their first Finals appearance since 200.
New York has the chance to prove Haslem wrong, but it will be an uphill battle. They host the Pacers for Game 5 on Thursday night.