Delon Wright maximizing a Knicks playoffs chance he never expected: Something you dream of

INDIANAPOLIS — Delon Wright did not envision this.But he’s capitalizing on his chance.The Knicks have needed him to.Wright had barely played through the first two rounds of the postseason, but he was elevated in coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation for the last three games of the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers.“It means a lot,” Wright said after the Knicks’ 111-94 Game 5 win over the Pacers on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

“This is something you dream of — being in New York, playing in Madison Square Garden.This is a dream come true.“I didn’t know if this opportunity was gonna come when I got here, the team was so stacked, the rotation was stacked.

But I just tried to figure out a way to impact the game when I get in there.”Wright, whom the Knicks acquired from the Bucks in the deal that sent Jericho Sims to Milwaukee, is one of the team’s best defenders, and his length allows him to disrupt passing lanes.He has a limited offensive game, but his defensive acumen has been needed in recent games to slow the Pacers’ high-octane offense.

Cam Payne, who had been ahead of him in the rotation beforehand, is a poor defender and two inches shorter.Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series.Wright’s defense was particularly valuable in Game 5, when the Knicks made it a point of emphasis to pick up Tyrese Haliburton further up the court in order to get him out of rhythm.Wright, a 10-year journeyman, played 32 minutes the last three games.The Knicks outscored the Pacers by 17 points when he was on the court during that stretch.“You gotta try something different [against Haliburton],” Wright said.

“I feel like when I come in, I just try to use my IQ, getting deflections, disrupting their offense.I know they’re a high-paced offense, so I just try to do something to disrupt it.“I like to fly around.

I like to go after the ba...