That old team without a point guard that hung around for just long enough to make us think they could beat the Knicks is gone.  That team was the Boston Celtics.  On to Round 2.  On to a different world for the New York Knicks.

The Indiana Pacers live in this new world.  And this Pacers team has a lot of good stuff going on.  They aren't the Heat or Knicks, so flying under the radar has done them just fine all season long.  There are guards.  There is youth mixed with enough of a veteran presence.  There are big, BIG guys down low.  Roy Hibbert is a tower, for example.

And the Pacers play physical and they bring effort every night.  The Knicks have not done that consistently in this postseason, and that could ultimately be the difference.  Even the non-motivating Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said after Game 1 that the Knicks didn't play as hard as Indiana.  Uh oh.

The Pacers are tough.  They play hard.  The Knicks must match them in both departments in order to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.  Otherwise, the Knicks can start wearing black now for their own funeral.  And we know they are good at that shenanigan.

By:  Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankees pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio.  Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports.

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