The Indiana Pacers are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter-century, dispatching the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to clinch the series 4-2.
Led by Pascal Siakam’s 31-point performance and a fourth-quarter surge from Tyrese Haliburton — who scored 11 of his 21 points in the final frame — the Pacers sealed the franchise’s second trip to the NBA Finals in history. Siakam, acquired midseason to be Indiana’s go-to playoff scorer, was named the recipient of the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Bird, notably, is the only other coach to have led the Pacers to the Finals, doing so in 2000.
“It’s a dream come true,” Siakam said postgame. “This group believed from the start, and tonight we showed why.”
Haliburton, the Pacers’ engine all season, added 13 assists in the win and played through noticeable physical discomfort after a hard fall in the second half. Obi Toppin chipped in 18 points and six rebounds in a cathartic performance against his former team.
OG Anunoby paced the Knicks with 24 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points, but was limited in impact by Indiana’s swarming defense that forced New York into 17 costly turnovers.
The game had all the intensity expected in a closeout playoff clash. Towns was seen limping after a foul early in the second half, and Haliburton took a tough shot that left him holding his jaw. Still, the Pacers withstood the Knicks’ physical play and eventually overwhelmed them with timely runs and sharpshooting.
Indiana began to separate in the third quarter, launching a 9-0 run out of halftime and hitting three consecutive three-pointers — two from Thomas Bryant and one from Andrew Nembhard — to build a 15-point lead. Though New York countered with eight straight points to make it 78-71, the Pacers answered again with another 9-0 spurt, effectively closing the door on the Knicks’ comeback hopes.
The crowd inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse was electric all night. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, and celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were among those in attendance for the historic moment. As the final seconds ticked away, the roar reached a crescendo as the starters exited to a standing ovation with 47.2 seconds left on the clock.
The night ended with Pacers legend Reggie Miller presenting the Eastern Conference’s Bob Cousy Trophy to longtime team owner Herb Simon in a poetic conclusion to TNT’s final NBA broadcast. Miller, now a broadcaster, was part of Indiana’s only other Finals run in 2000.
For the Knicks, it was another bitter end. Despite high expectations and strong performances from their stars, they fell short again — extending their NBA Finals drought, which now dates back to 1999.
The Pacers now turn their attention to the NBA Finals, where they’ll face the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 1 tips off Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
For a team once written off early in the season, the Pacers are now just four wins away from an NBA title.
