For the first time since 2000, the Indiana Pacers are heading back to the NBA Finals. On their home court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers closed out the Eastern Conference Finals with a 125-108 win over the New York Knicks, securing the series in six games.
Pascal Siakam delivered a dominant performance with 31 points, earning him the Larry Bird Trophy as Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Siakam averaged 24.8 points on 52.4 percent shooting, returning to the Finals stage for the first time since his 2019 championship run with Toronto.
Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 13 assists, joining elite company by recording 20+ points, 10+ assists and 3+ steals in a series-clinching win. The Pacers broke the game open with a 9-0 run to start the second half and never looked back, outscoring the Knicks 67-54 after halftime.
Myles Turner, the Pacers’ longest-tenured player, reflected on the moment, calling it the culmination of nearly a decade of dedication. Indiana’s offense was firing on all cylinders, notching 30 assists and a playoff-high 25 fast break points, hitting a series-best 17 three-pointers.
The Pacers joined the 2018-19 Warriors as the only teams in NBA history to average over 115 points and 28 assists through the first three rounds of the Playoffs. They’ve now scored 120 or more in eight games this postseason, tying a 35-year playoff record.
Indiana will now face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Game 1 tips off Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.