Pacers advance to NBA Finals for first time in 25 years

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are off to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history after beating the New York York Knicks, 125-108, in Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night to win the Eastern Conference Finals, 4-2.

Indiana will now face the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. The series tips off Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. at the Paycom Center.

Forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 27 points, while point guard Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 13 assists and center Thomas Bryant contributed 11 critical points off the bench for Indiana.

“It means the most, man. Especially to do it with these guys here. It’s a strong, resilient, Indiana team,” Bryant said. “I appreciate these guys from the bottom of my heart for just accepting me and letting me try to contribute to help get us here.”

The Knicks jumped out to an early 9-4 advantage on a Mikal Bridges’ 3-pointer. The Pacers responded with a 6-0 run, taking their first lead of the game on a Aaron Nesmith three. The teams swapped the lead again with Indiana ahead 25-24 after the first quarter.

New York tied the game at 33 in the second quarter, but forward Obi Toppin and Haliburton made back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Pacers up six and force a timeout.

The Knicks clawed back to tie the game at 41 before another Indiana spurt capped by a thunderous Haliburton dunk put the Pacers on top, 47-42. They matched their biggest lead of the game at six late in the quarter on Siakam layup. Guard OG Anunoby hit a jumper at the buzzer to make the deficit four at halftime.

Indiana started the third quarter on a 9-0 run. Siakam and Nesmith made 3-pointers, then Siakam had an old fashioned three-point play to push the lead to 67-54. New York cut the deficit back to eight, but Bryant hit two three-pointers and guard Andrew Nembhard made one to stretch the advantage to 15.

The Knicks answered with an 8-0 run, but the Pacers countered with a 9-0 run to go back up 16. They led 92-77 after three.

New York could not get closer than nine points in the fourth quarter. A Nembhard 3-pointer put Indiana up 19 with 4:20 to play to seal the game.

“I love being a Pacer. There’s nothing like it and it’s a really really special feeling for me,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “I’ll take the time to reflect on it, you know, later, because there’s still a lot more work to do. But I’m just really excited.”

The Pacers won three ABA championships, but have never won the NBA title. They lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Lakers in their lone NBA Finals appearance in 2000.