Pascal Siakam exploded for 31 points, Tyrese Haliburton dazzled with 21 points and 13 assists, and the Indiana Pacers stormed past the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 on Saturday night, booking their spot in the NBA Finals for just the second time in franchise history.
Obi Toppin delivered 18 points and six rebounds against his former squad, earning a deafening standing ovation as Indiana’s starters left the floor with 47.2 seconds to play, the gold-clad crowd on its feet.
The Pacers now gear up to face Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the finals on Thursday night.
For the Knicks, OG Anunoby led the fight with 24 points, Karl-Anthony Towns battled for 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson chipped in 19, but Indiana’s ferocious defense forced 17 turnovers, keeping New York’s Finals dreams frozen since 1999.
After a tightly contested first half, Indiana blew the game open with a blazing 9-0 run to start the third quarter, fueled by three straight three-pointers, two from Thomas Bryant and one from Andrew Nembhard, vaulting the Pacers to a 78-63 lead.
New York was chasing history, aiming to become just the 14th team ever to rally back from a 3-1 series deficit, but the Pacers slammed the door shut. The Knicks’ title drought stretches on, with no championship since 1973.