The Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 125-108 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, fueled by Pascal Siakam’s 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-point double-double.
The Pacers won the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals four games to two thanks to a powerful third quarter on Saturday to break open a close game.
When the NBA Finals begin in Oklahoma City on Thursday, they will be chasing their first title, which is the second championship series in franchise history.
In Game 5, New York had a strong defensive display to prevent elimination, but the series was unable to reach a decisive Game 7.
Instead, the Knicks are still searching for their first championship since 1999, where they won two NBA titles in 1970 and 1973.
Siakam, a star forward, won the Eastern Conference title, coming off a disappointing start in Game 5 with a dominating defensive effort to extend the series.
We wanted to rebound after a bad Game 5, Siakam said. And I firmly believe in my teammates. We always find a way to get out of a slump, which we did tonight.
With 21 points and 13 assists, seven Pacers players added double-figure points and 13 assists.
Obi Toppin’s 18 off the bench and Thomas Bryant’s 11 as backups beat the Knicks’ reserves 38-20.
Haliburton remarked, “I’m really proud of this group.” “Our last game as a group was a tough game. We desired a response.
He continued, “We did a great job of that.” I can’t even express my gratitude to this group right now.
Pacers prevail on the court at home.
With 24 points, OG Anunoby led the Knicks in scoring. Jalen Brunson added 19 points and seven assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 and 14 rebounds.
However, Indiana drew from a quick-paced first quarter, which saw five lead changes, a one-point lead, and a never-ending run of points, forcing New York to turn in 18 turnovers that totaled 34 Pacers points.
After being scoreless in the first half, Haliburton made eight saves in the second, including a thunderous dunk following teammate Andrew Nembhard’s steal, which was one of ten first-half turnovers in New York.
After Anunoby scored a basket in the final second of the first half to reduce the Knicks’ deficit to 58-54 at the break, Nembhard added another steal from Brunson and fed Siakam for a layup.
The crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse went into a frenzy after the Pacers extended their lead to 15 points, 78-63, on back-to-back 3-pointers from Nembhard and Bryant.
The Knicks cut the deficit quickly to seven, but the Pacers fought back to give up a 92-77 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Pacers scored 11 points in the final frame as Haliburton finished the first three quarters.
Source: Aljazeera
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