Pacers Stun the League with Unexpected NBA Finals Berth—Can Knicks’ Collapse Be Explained?
It’s been a long drought, but the Indiana Pacers have finally broken through, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter-century. Taking down the New York Knicks 125-108 in a decisive game six at home, the Pacers showcased resilience and grit you just have to respect. At the heart of this surge? Pascal Siakam, whose star continued to blaze brightly—dropping 31 points and swatting away three shots to earn MVP honors for the series. Siakam’s been nothing short of magnificent, regularly lighting up the scoreboard in nearly every victory this postseason. Now, with the Thunder stepping up as the Western Conference’s champions, Indiana’s gearing up for a showdown that promises fireworks. Having tasted glory before with the Raptors, Siakam knows just how precious this moment is—and it’s clear this Pacers squad isn’t letting up anytime soon. LEARN MORE
The Pacers will face Western Conference winners the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, which begin on Thursday.Pacers took control in the third quarter, which began with a 9-0 run, to end the Knicks’ resistance and claim the series win.Tyrese Haliburton also starred for the hosts, adding 21 points, 13 assists and three steals, while Obi Toppin scored 18 points off the bench.For the Knicks, OG Anunoby top-scored with 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points as the visitors fell short after conceding 18 turnovers.Looking back to when he was an NBA champion, Siakam said: “That year was my third year, I was this young kid. I thought it was going to be easy [to get back].”It’s a special feeling to do it with this group,” Haliburton said. “We got to the same spot last year and we fell short. We worked our tails off to get back here.”Siakam, a nine-year veteran who won the title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, said: “After a bad game five, we wanted to bounce back and I have 100% belief in my team-mates. Whenever we’re down, we find a way, and we did that tonight.”Siakam scored over 30 points in three of four victories for the Pacers, who won the series 4-2.Pascal Siakam maintained his impressive form to be named MVP of the series after recording 31 points and three blocked shots on Saturday in Indianapolis.Speaking about Siakam, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle added: “So deserving. The guy has been a rock of consistency all year.”Getty Images
Mantej Mann
BBC Sport Journalist
2 hours ago
“I appreciate it even more now because I know how hard it is to get here.”The first quarter was a tight affair as the Pacers led 25-24 before stretching their lead to four points by the end of the first half.
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