Pacers Advance to NBA Finals After Game 6 Victory Over Knicks

The Indiana Pacers are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly 25 years after defeating the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 31 points in a commanding performance, while Tyrese Haliburton delivered a standout all-around effort with 21 points and 13 assists. The victory sends Indiana to the Finals for only the second time in franchise history, with Game 1 set for Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team, helping fuel the Pacers’ decisive second-half push. The crowd, decked in gold and electric throughout, gave the starting five a standing ovation as they left the court with just under a minute remaining.

“It’s a dream come true,” Haliburton said postgame. “We’ve worked all season for this moment, and to do it in front of our fans is something special.”

The Pacers turned up the pressure on defense, forcing 17 New York turnovers and outpacing the Knicks in transition. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points, followed by Karl-Anthony Towns with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Jalen Brunson added 19 points but struggled to find his rhythm against Indiana’s persistent defensive schemes.

The physical tone of the game was set early, with players on both sides battling through contact. Haliburton was shaken up after a hard fall in the first half, while Towns was seen limping following a foul.

Indiana seized control of the game early in the third quarter with a 9-0 run, featuring back-to-back 3-pointers from Thomas Bryant and another from Andrew Nembhard, stretching the lead to 78-63. Though the Knicks responded with a quick 8-0 burst, the Pacers answered with another 9-0 run to reassert control and never looked back.

Among those in attendance were Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark, and celebrities Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, adding to the high-profile energy inside the arena.

The Knicks, who were seeking their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 and hoping to become the 14th team in league history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit, saw their playoff run come to an end. The franchise has not won a championship since 1973.

Former Pacers star and Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was part of Indiana’s 2000 Finals team, called the game for TNT, witnessing a new era of Pacers basketball reach the sport’s biggest stage.