NBA Roundup: Pacers Dominate Knicks to Stay Alive in Playoffs

The Indiana Pacers secured another crucial home victory on Friday, defeating the New York Knicks 116-103 to force a decisive Game Seven in their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 25 points, supported by Tyrese Haliburton’s 15 points and nine assists, and Myles Turner’s 17 points. Six Pacers players scored in double figures, showcasing a balanced offensive effort.

Facing elimination after a humiliating Game Five loss in New York, the Pacers played with intense aggression, outscoring the Knicks 62-38 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle. Their hustle was evident as they chased down loose balls, blocked eight shots, and dished out 35 assists, keeping their offense fluid. They also effectively contained Knicks’ star Jalen Brunson for much of the game, maintaining an undefeated 6-0 record at home this postseason.

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To advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, the Pacers must now win on the road, with the Knicks hosting Game Seven on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

“Now it’s a one-game series, and it’s for all the marbles,” Haliburton said. “Where better to have a Game Seven than the Garden? No team’s won a game on the road in this series, so we’ve got to be ready to go from start to finish in 48 minutes.”

The Pacers broke open a tight game with a 17-2 run, pushing their lead to 13 points late in the second quarter. Donte DiVincenzo briefly halted Indiana’s momentum with a corner three-pointer, cutting the Pacers’ lead to 10 at halftime, 61-51.

Brunson, limited to five points on 2-of-13 shooting in the first half, found his rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 14 points and finishing with 31. Miles McBride added 20 for the Knicks, but their brief third-quarter surge was quickly quelled by the Pacers.

“There really isn’t any excuse for anything,” Brunson said. “Just the way they played tonight, you’ve got to give them credit.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle emphasized the importance of effort. He praised Siakam, an NBA champion with Toronto in 2019 and acquired from the Raptors in January, for his veteran presence and crucial skill set.

“He’s the only guy on our roster that can manufacture a 16-foot shot over a seven-foot guy and make it,” Carlisle said. “He did it three or four times in the third, fourth quarter.”

Despite the win, Carlisle was already focused on the upcoming challenge on Sunday. “In a series like this, you can’t sit around patting yourself on the back. That’s what gets your ass kicked the next game,” he said.

Physical, Mental Test

The Knicks return home with another injury concern after forward Josh Hart left early in the fourth quarter with abdominal soreness. He had been visibly troubled by discomfort since the first quarter. This adds to the Knicks’ injury woes, with forward OG Anunoby sidelined by a hamstring injury in Game Two, and the team already missing Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson.

“We’ll see,” was head coach Tom Thibodeau’s terse response regarding Hart’s availability for Sunday. However, he emphasized that the Knicks wouldn’t use injuries as an excuse.

“This is the nature of the playoffs,” Thibodeau said. “This is what you play for. Oftentimes it comes down to a hustle play, a loose ball. So you’re going to get tested physically, mentally, emotionally – and you’ve got to be able to get through all of that. So whatever it is that we’re facing, we can overcome and just keep battling.”