INDIANAPOLIS — After a lackluster showing from Tyrese Haliburton in Game 5, where he managed a mere eight points on seven attempts, the obvious move seemed to be dialing up aggression to combat the New York Knicks’ relentless ball pressure and erratic shot selection. But Rick Carlisle had a different vision. Instead of chasing flashy numbers, he emphasized balance and the essence of Pacers basketball — a dazzling blend of depth, pressure, and collective grit that has powered Indiana’s rise over the past several months. This style, which thrives on relentless energy and ruthless teamwork, didn’t just push the Pacers past the Knicks—it crowned them Eastern Conference champions and unleashed a wellspring of hope for a franchise on the cusp of its first NBA Finals in 25 years. From dazzling defensive displays to unexpected heroes stepping up in a big way, this Game 6 triumph wasn’t about a single star—it was about an entire ecosystem firing on all cylinders, proving that on this night, the whole truly was greater than the sum of its parts. LEARN MOREAdvertisementFrom last year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals being dismissed as a fluke born of injuries to the teams along its path, to a brutal injury-marred 10-15 start to this season, to largely being viewed by national pundits as merely the foil to the Cavaliers and Knicks in this postseason, the Pacers have plenty of practice being overlooked. They’ve learned not to concern themselves with the paltry predictions of others; they’re not afraid to dream bigger.Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a pick-and-pop 3, a setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
Pascal Siakam kept the offense afloat early, scoring 16 first-half points to stake Indiana to leads after the first and second quarters of a tight, tense elimination-game first half contested entirely within two possessions, with neither team able to gain more than six points of separation. He tilted the run of play in the Pacers’ favor shortly after intermission, having a hand in three straight buckets — a
pick-and-pop 3, a
setup for an Aaron Nesmith 3 in transition and a transition leak-out and
beautiful reverse finish through contact — that amounted to a 9-0 run to put Indiana up 13 early in the third and giving it the separation it needed to push the Knicks past their breaking point.
AdvertisementWhich is to say: They needed to play Pacers basketball.
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