Roland NBA Physicality Report

Team Physicality Game Summary

Winner: INDIANA

Team	RPR*	Plays	Wins	L/D	L2+	Falls	KD
IND	480.9	684	150	31	47	27	19
NYK	446.9	676	122	27	61	19	27

Tracking over forty types of contact, aggression, and resilience -- every second of the game.

Header notes:
RPR = "Roland Physicality Rating" (in development), Plays = Physicality Plays (adjusted by level of force), Wins = a Physicality play that is deemed a 'win', L/D = Losses/Defeats (non-intentional fouls and soft plays), L2+ = level 2 or higher force physicality plays, Falls = player hits the ground, KD = Knockdowns: causes opponent to hit the ground

Notable Team Physicality Details

1. INDIANA held the edge in the aerial/vertical physicality areas, with +6 wins challenging defenders at the rim and +4 wins defending challenges with verticality.


2. Some other strengths included once again winning fighting over screens (+9 wins), and the postup events went their way more often (+6 wins). They also saw better results with their offball screens


3. With regards to picking up/pressuring in the backcourt the PACERS were active throughout with 50 instances (to New York's 14), and 5 "physicality wins" where they made it significantly wearing and troublesome, not just routine.


4. In a very "grabby" game, both teams were at it, but NEW YORK had more grabs and holds (85 to 60). The refs called SIX grab fouls, three on each team, no player with more than one, and Brunson's one late important and had to be called when Nesmith fell on what would have been a turnover otherwise.


5. They also took the "overpowering force" wins again in rebounding (+3) -- Robinson had 5 for the second consecutive game, although Siakam had 3 for the Pacers. They were +8 in game one so IND made inroads in containing it.


6. A few other areas of note for NEW YORK are higher numbers of bumps/pushes/chucks for the second straight game, and they spent vastly more energy getting free of defenders which suggests the IND holds/grabs are a nuisance.

Player Physicality Stats

INDIANA PACERS

...INDIANA PACERS"physicality suffered"

Analysis:

• Pascal Siakam Once again the star player on offense for the Pacers was the star on physicality too. Funny how that works! Siakam has led in RPR for Indiana both games and had game high wins while enduring the most 'level 2+ force plays' on physicality suffered (and 12 falls). Brilliant game for Pascal to help IND get up 2-0.


• Tyrese Haliburton had agin a game where his physicality suffered was less than half of what Brunson had to undergo. Keep an eye on this.


• Tony Bradley deserves a callout for stepping up to the "Mitch Robinson Physicality Challenge" after Bryant has shown little stomach for it through two games. Bradley kept Mitch much more in check, which could be big for the non-Turner minutes.

NEW YORK KNICKS

...NEW YORK KNICKS "physicality suffered"

Analysis:

• Jalen Brunson just game after game demonstrates incredible toughness. Massive physcality suffered again (led all players in xRPR and the # of physical actions suffered) yet continues to lead the Knicks well, contributing physicality of his own, while racking up more solid box score stats.


• Karl-Anthony Towns after leading the team in game one in RPR, had a big dropoff in his physicality scores here (and -20 plus/minus, ouch!). H2H he was -5 wins vs Turner, and -4 vs Siakam. We've seen this inconsistency before, in the Boston series he had a down game five before responding well in game six. NYK needs better physicality from KAT for game three.


• Mikal Bridges has spent loads of time this series after a switch wrangling with the INDIANA big he's now on, handling it well overall.

Signature Physicality Moments

• Q1 (1:12) Bryant clogging up the lane
  Second straight possession where after a switch Bryant tries to postup Bridges clogging the paint Bridges battles well enough the Pacers don't look to get Bryant the ball, one turnover with runout dunk another contested midrange no oreb presence.


• Q1 (0:45) Intensity reigns again on Free Throw boxouts
  Knicks win both sides of FT line oreb as Robinson takes out Toppin AND Nesmith while OG chucks Siakam for overpower rebound kickout three miss and another overpower rebound by Mitch besting Siakam and Toppin leading to evntual dunk by OG.


• Q2 (11:42) Robinson relentless to start the quarter
  Incredible Mitch possession to begin Q2 he fights through two offball screens (and a good one by Bradley) to get back in front and neutralize a Siakam level 2 drive then he takes on Mathurin on a switch and knocks the ball OB off him. Insane playing hard level 4 activity!


• Q2 (11:13) Bradley bringing more than Bryant for the Pacers
  Good work by Bradley in his first minute set a good screen on first poss then got a rebound vs Mitch then runs down pushes McBride deep in the lane so on his closeout he was disadvantaged and Mathurin initiates contact and gets the foul.


• Q2 (10:19) Pacers' high intensity defense
  Good group defense by the Pacers Mathurin fights over screen McBride gives ball up to Towns who drives meets a crowd passes to Payne who drives gets a little space on Nesmith and challenges Bradley who flattens him leading to FB runout.


• Q2 (4:38) Toppin with the Highs and Lows
  Toppin sets screen gets switch takes Jalen deep for seal with physicality inflicted this time they get him the ball Hart doubles with hassling hands Toppin great pass to corner for wide open. Followed by Toppin tries difficult pass instead of trying to finish over Brunson at the rim so soft/odd decision while Hart makes stunning playing hard steal and save.


• Q2 (0:42) Pacers stay patient against Knicks' physicality
  Knicks grabbing everywhere on inbounds and after Toppin tries to set screen with Towns fiercely pulling on his arm lots of mini stops like Hart shutting down Siakam's attempt to create but after a screen switch they get Siakam the ball again posting Brunson help comes he finds Nesmith cutting who finishes over Anunoby with OG having to put his hands to the ground on landing to avoid tumbling. Huge physicality by the Knicks and yet the Pacers made them work the whole shot clock and scored.


• Q3 (9:39) Have to be strong to play in this game
  The Pacers pick up Jalen in backcourt with Nesmith then after a screen Nembhard Jalen gives up ball pretty quickly eventually gets to KAT at the top Bridges comes to set screen on Turner KAT rejects blows by Turner ready to elevate but Siakam stands in trying to take charge major collison KAT makes the shot and gets whistle Siakam falls and then Towns falls too taking damage.


• Q3 (2:35) Back and forth! Pacers will run you ragged
  Haliburton gets hands on ball to create steal from Hart with Bradley grabbing Robinson and then pushes the other way only for Hart to stymie him and lead to bad pass Brunson beats out McConnell who falls Jalen saves ball back in and Hart beats the diving Nesmith leading to wide open runout layup. But Haliburton inbounds ahead and 2 seconds later Toppin lays in at other end!


• Q4 (7:37) Pacers score UOB low clock
  Nesmith sprints through a Turner screen while Toppin grabs OG fiercely so that OG can't get the bump on Nesmtih Jalen fights but slowed by screen enough Nesmith gets clean 3 huge play Pacers up 8.


• Q4 (2:51) Pacers make it tough, Knicks pay the price
  Brunson drives, three Pacers defend, Siakam active hands Turner absorbs so Brunson has to reset tries to create a very difficult three but Pacers keep flying at him rebounding battle ensues and the Pacers eventually win with Siakam leaking out for easy FB layup.


• Q4 (0:52) Both sides fighting hard
  So much strong grabbing going on no calls OG wrapping up Siakam who finally gets free to catch inbounds, Jalen grabbing Nesmith, Hart grabbing Haliburton, Nesmith with contact drive misses but Siakam overpowers KAT for huge rebound and ultimately Siakam iso Bridges powerful clear for open shot but misses.


• Q4 (0:14) Refs have no choice
  Brunson obvious strong grab fistful of jersey on inbounds Nesmith falls as ball goes out of bounds has to be called otherwise turnover.