Little-used reserve Tony Bradley helped Pacers blunt Knicks’ rebounding edge

INDIANAPOLIS — While Tom Thibodeau’s rotation is getting even shorter as the playoffs progress, Rick Carlisle went 11-deep in a close game Friday night as the Pacers seized a 2-0 series lead over the Knicks.

After acknowledging that his team was outdone on the boards in Game 1, Carlisle turned to little-used reserve big man Tony Bradley for a couple of brief stints to combat Mitchell Robinson’s athleticism on the boards.

Bradley only had played 17 minutes of mop-up duty in four appearances in the postseason, but he banged bodies a few times and grabbed a couple of rebounds with a positive rating of plus-1 in eight minutes — four each in the second and third quarters — in the Pacers’ 114-109 victory in Game 2 at the Garden.

“Tony Bradley hasn’t played in the series, but he’s one of our better rebounders,” Carlisle said after the game. “We elected to go with him to spell Myles [Turner] a little bit. We’re a team that needs everybody. That’s how we’ve got to play.”

Tony Bradley (l.) fights for possession during the Pacers’ Game 2 win against the Knicks on May 23. Jason Szenes for the NY Post

Turner and backup center Thomas Bryant each picked up two fouls in the first half, and Carlisle didn’t hesitate to turn to the 6-foot-10 Bradley, a 2017 first-round pick out of North Carolina.

By contrast, dependable veteran big Precious Achiuwa and late-season pickup P.J. Tucker have not gotten off the Knicks bench in either game.

Thibodeau only has used Robinson and guard Miles McBride along with doling out heavy minutes to his starting five.

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Backup guard Cam Payne was the only other second-team player to get in the game, and he logged nine scoreless minutes.

“I just was ready when my name was called,” the 27-year-old Bradley said, according to the Indianapolis Star. “I work hard every day just staying in shape, just being a good teammate. I’m ready to just go hard. That’s all I know.

“I was just focused on keeping Robinson off the glass. Staying in contact with him, keeping a body on him. trying to get him tired.”

Tony Bradley attempts a shot during the Pacers’ Game 2 win over the Knicks on May 23. Jason Szenes for the NY Post

The Pacers are up 2-0 despite the Knicks holding an 84-70 rebounding edge, seven more in each game.

Robinson logged a playoff-high 29 minutes for the Knicks, including several alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, who sat out for a seven-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.

Robinson finished the game with six points, nine rebounds (four offensive) and three blocked shots, but only one of his rebounds came with Bradley on the court.

“Shoutout to Tony Bradley. Tony Bradley was huge,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “He came in for us and really got thrown in with our group that has been together for so long. Tony is just an awesome guy and contributes in so many different ways.

“When we’re doing our scout through all these series, he’s had to be the scout center. There’s been times when he gets thrown in our first group to take some of Myles’ reps when guys are going through things or are a little banged up or whatever the case may be. It’s just so special to see what our group is doing.”