The Cope A Dope
“I don’t think there was a moment when they were big,” West said after Game 5. “They went to the lineups they’ve had success with all season.”
Iman Shumpert, J. R. Smith, Raymond Felton and Copeland combined for 22 rebounds and helped prevent the merciless march of put-back buckets that has fueled the Pacers’ offense
Footnotes (via Beckley Mason, NYT article):
After the top five Pacers, there is a cataclysmic dropoff.
The Pacers’ bench scored the second fewest points per game of any team in the regular season.
The battle under the boards exemplifies how the Knicks must overcome the mountainous Pacers front line. They cannot survive head-on confrontations. The Knicks must swarm with speed and collective energy.
Our bench is superior. We can do this.
Felton's rebound that ended up eventually being the put back that Cope had was a great moment in his career. That was an all heart rebound. The smallest guy on the court getting up and grabbing that was pretty amazing.
CrushAlot - excellent observation
“I won’t call it a mismatch, but I like to say I can help us by spreading the floor and bringing those guys away from the basket. I’m just trying to make spacing better by being out there on the wing and getting Melo opportunities on the block and J. R. more space when he attacks.”
- Chris Copeland
Ain't nobody got time for no NYK season finale.
