Indiana Pacers Pip New York Knicks, Set Up NBA Finals With Oklahoma City Thunder

Last Updated:June 01, 2025, 08:30 IST

Indiana Pacers, fueled by 31 points from Pascal Siakam, beat the New York Knicks 125-108 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.

Indiana Pacers are through to the NBA final (AP)

Pascal Siakam scored 31 points, Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 13 assists, and the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 on Saturday night, securing their place in the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.

Obi Toppin contributed 18 points and six rebounds against his former team, with the gold-clad crowd giving the starters a roaring ovation as they exited with 47.2 seconds remaining.

Indiana will face Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Thursday night.

OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson scored 19 points. The Pacers’ relentless defence forced New York into 17 turnovers.

The Knicks, who haven’t reached the Finals since 1999, struggled to extend the series in a game that was tough and physical from the outset.

The tone was set early with Towns limping after drawing a foul and Haliburton holding his jaw after taking a hard shot.

Indiana pulled away by starting the second half with a 9-0 run, taking a 78-63 lead with three consecutive 3-pointers from Thomas Bryant and Andrew Nembhard. The run energised the crowd, which included notable attendees such as Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, WNBA star Caitlin Clark to Timothee Chalamet to Kylie Jenner.

When the Knicks responded with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 78-71, the Pacers answered with another 9-0 run, taking their largest lead of the game and forcing the Knicks to play catch-up for the remainder of the night.

Pacers star and Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, a member of the 1999-2000 Pacers team that reached the Finals, served as the colour analyst for TNT’s final broadcast.

New York was attempting to become the 14th team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a series. They have not won a title since 1973.

(With inputs from AP)

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov...Read More

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov...

Read More

Watch CNN-News18 here. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location :

Los Angeles, United States of America (USA)

First Published:

News sports Indiana Pacers Pip New York Knicks, Set Up NBA Finals With Oklahoma City Thunder