The Indiana Pacers secured a vital home win on Friday, defeating the New York Knicks 116-103 to push their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series to a decisive game seven. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 25 points, while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 15 points and nine assists, and Myles Turner added 17 points. Six Pacers players scored in double figures.
Facing elimination after a heavy defeat in New York, the Pacers displayed relentless aggression, outscoring the Knicks 62-38 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle. Their hustle included eight blocked shots and 35 assists, helping keep Knicks’ star Jalen Brunson in check for most of the game. The victory extended Indiana’s home playoff record to 6-0 this season.
The Pacers must now replicate their home success on the road if they are to advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, with game seven set for Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
“Now it’s a one-game series, and it’s for all the marbles,” Haliburton said. “Where better to have a game seven than the Garden?”
Indiana took control with a 17-2 run in the second quarter, leading by 13 points. Donte DiVincenzo’s three-pointer cut the Pacers’ lead to 10 at halftime. Brunson, who struggled in the first half, finished with 31 points but couldn’t rally the Knicks.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle credited the team’s effort and highlighted Siakam’s veteran presence and crucial mid-range shooting. “He’s the only guy on our roster that can manufacture a 16-foot shot over a seven-foot guy and make it,” Carlisle noted.
The Knicks, dealing with multiple injuries, including forward Josh Hart’s abdominal soreness, face a stern test. Coach Tom Thibodeau emphasized the importance of resilience, stating, “This is the nature of the playoffs. You’re going to get tested physically, mentally, emotionally – and you’ve got to be able to get through all of that.”
