Siakam’s 39 Points Stun Garden — Can the Knicks Survive as Pacers Surge to 2-0 East Finals Lead?

Indiana’s latest road trip wasn’t just about bagging a couple W’s away from home–nah, they’ve gone and elbowed their way deeper into the Eastern Conference finals, leaving the Knicks wondering what just hit ’em. Pascal Siakam went absolutely bonkers at Madison Square Garden, lighting up the scoreboard with a career playoff high of 39 points and steering the Pacers to a gritty 114-109 win. Now, with the series standing at 2-0 in their favor, Indianapolis holds not just a lead but a real stranglehold, sending a clear message before the teams head back for Game 3. The Pacers’ clutch performance up north, backed by Myles Turner’s steady 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton teetering on a triple-double, showed a squad that’s calm, collected, and hungry for their second-ever NBA finals appearance. Meanwhile, the Knicks are left to scramble, scratching their heads as they watch history inch closer to repeating itself. Curious about how the drama unfolded? LEARN MORE

AdvertisementPascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points and helped close out a 114-109 victory over the Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, giving the Pacers a 2-0 lead as the best-of-seven-games series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3. It was another clinical closing performance by a Pacers team that has now taken back-to-back games from the Knicks on their home floor.The Pacers now return home with a chance to take a commanding three-games-to-none lead, something no NBA team has ever recovered from in playoff history.

The Pacers now return home with a chance to take a commanding three-games-to-none lead, something no NBA team has ever recovered from in playoff history.

The Pacers now return home with a chance to take a commanding three-games-to-none lead, something no NBA team has ever recovered from in playoff history.

Tied 81-81 heading into the fourth quarter, the Pacers opened the final frame on a 13-4 run with Knicks star Jalen Brunson on the bench. Siakam scored three of those points and assisted on another basket as Indiana built a 94-85 lead and seized momentum. They never trailed again.More to follow.Brunson led the Knicks with 36 points and 11 assists, a heroic effort that wasn’t quite enough. Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 10 rebounds while Josh Hart chipped in 15 points and 11 boards. But the Knicks shot just 7-of-28 from deep and once again struggled with turnovers at key moments.