Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton led the Indiana Pacers to a long-awaited celebration, securing their first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years. Siakam scored 31 points, while Haliburton contributed 21 points, including 11 crucial points in the fourth quarter, helping the Pacers beat the New York Knicks 125-108 on Saturday night and clinch the series 4-2.
This marks only the second time in franchise history that the Pacers will compete for the championship, with the Finals set to start Thursday against Oklahoma City.
Coach Rick Carlisle praised Siakam and Haliburton, saying, “Pascal and Tyrese put us on their backs and made sure we would not lose. But our work has just begun,” as the enthusiastic crowd cheered them on.
Siakam earned the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP—a fitting honor since Bird is the only other coach to have led the Pacers to the Finals. Haliburton also dished out 13 assists, and Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team.
On the Knicks’ side, OG Anunoby led with 24 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson scored 19. However, the Pacers’ relentless defense caused 17 turnovers, making it difficult for New York to keep pace.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau reflected on the game, saying, “There were stretches where we played very good defense and stretches where we didn’t. I think it was a combination of our defense and turnovers.”
Despite their efforts, the Knicks will head home again, still waiting to reach the Finals since 1999.
The night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse was electric, from the lively pregame atmosphere to the standing ovation for the starters as they left the court with under a minute remaining. Reggie Miller presented the Eastern Conference’s Bob Cousy Trophy to Pacers owner Herb Simon during TNT’s final NBA broadcast, with Miller also serving as a color analyst.
The game was physical and intense, not always matching the Pacers’ usual style. Towns struggled with an injury after a foul, and Haliburton took a hard hit to the jaw but stayed in the game, reflecting the high stakes.
Indiana pulled away with a 9-0 run at the start of the second half, fueled by three consecutive three-pointers from Thomas Bryant and Andrew Nembhard. The crowd, including Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, WNBA star Caitlin Clark, actor Timothée Chalamet, and Kylie Jenner, erupted in support.
Although the Knicks fought back with an 8-0 run to narrow the gap, the Pacers answered with another 9-0 surge, extending their lead and forcing New York to play catch-up for the rest of the game.
Coach Carlisle reminded everyone, “This is no time to be popping champagne. When you get to this point of the season, it’s two teams and one goal. It becomes all or nothing, and we understand the magnitude of it.”
