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INDIANAPOLIS — The bloom is off the rose with the new starting lineup.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau ran back the reworked starting unit he used in Game 3 — inserting Mitchell Robinson in place of Josh Hart.
But this time around, it produced rough results in a 130-121 Game 4 loss to the Pacers on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The team started the game 16-11 down before Karl-Anthony Towns left the court with 7:48 remaining in the first quarter due to his second foul.
Then when the unit was back on the floor together to start the third quarter, they gave up an immediate 7-0 run to fall behind by 12 points.
The Knicks entered halftime trailing by five, and when Robinson came out for Hart with 5:55 left in the third quarter, they trailed by eight.
Coach Thibodeau acknowledged both positive aspects and areas needing improvement within the unit. He stressed the need for better energy and connectedness, highlighting the importance of maintaining intensity to prevent opponents from gaining confidence.
In Game 3, the starting unit was plus-1. But Robinson’s struggles on Tuesday meant the group was not nearly as effective this time around.
He was a team-worst minus-20.
He did not play at all in the fourth quarter, with Thibodeau opting to go with Hart instead until he fouled out.
Robinson took accountability for his performance, recognizing his slow start in the first half and vowing to improve. He emphasized the necessity of starting strong and maintaining consistency throughout the game.
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The starters’ woes have hovered over the Knicks the whole postseason. Thibodeau’s change reaped rewards for one game.
But Tuesday night, the problem came roaring back.