The Indiana Pacers move into the NBA finals after a dominant game 6 against the New York Knicks. Pascal Siakam shone while a Knicks star went out the breath.
| Home | Result | Away | series |
| Indiana Pacers | 125: 108 | New York Knicks | 4-2 |
Statement of the night: Pacers send Knicks to Cancun
In the Eastern Conference Finals, it was largely about which team can best establish their playing style and pace with the help of their ingenious point. In game 6, the Pacers made it clear that they could do this better and that the better team in the series were. For the second time in the history of her franchise after 2000, they moved into the finals. Earned!
The Pacers first settled in the third quarter with a 9-0 run by two three by Thomas Bryant (11, 3/4 3p) and one from Andrew Nembhard (14, 8 assists, 6 steals). When the Knicks got closer again, Indiana followed another nine unanswered points. New York couldn’t beat back.
Indiana led double digits over long distances of the second half, Tyrese Haliburton put the lid on it in the final quarter with 11 points (5/6 FG) and 4 assists without gymnastics. He posted a total of 21 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists and 3 steals.
The top scorer of the game was Pascal Siakam with 31 points (10/18 FG) at 3/5 from downtown as well as 3 blocks and a net rating of +25 in just under 36 minutes. Seven Pacers scored double digits.
“Pascal and Tyrese wore us and ensured that we would not lose,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle at the subsequent celebration: “But our work has just won.” The finals start at the Oklahoma City Thunder night on Friday.
With the Knicks, OG Anunoby progressed with 24 points (10/18 FG), Karl-Anthony Towns (22, 14 rebounds) still resisted in the final quarter. Jalen Brunson played his second weak game of the series with 19 points (8/18 FG), 7 assists and 5 turnover.
Statistics of the night: Pacers overrunn Knicks
Before the series started, it was already foreseeable that the Knicks could not keep up with the Pacers if Indiana comes into the race. This became clear in game 6, the Pacers won 25:10 on the points in the Fastbreak.
Indiana already moved the ball over better and was against the Knicks at Assists before game 6. At the same time, they did less gymnastics with 62:75.
Haliburton alone played 63 templates in the series, most in a victory of the conference finals since Magic Johnson 1991.
In game 6, the Pacers’ distances fell much better. Indiana sank 17/33 triples for 51.5 percent, New York only 9/32 for 28.1 percent.
Mitchell Robinson grabbed five other offensive rebounds, so he ended the playoffs with 67. He created the second most additional throwing opportunities since 1974 in the PostSeason, and the statistics were previously missing. Official rebounds and steals count for this, there are lifts and gymnastics, but Robinson, with 51 extra opportunities, is only behind Ben Wallace with 57 in 2003.
Scene of the night: no MVP for Hali
Tyrese Haliburton has been on everyone’s lips for weeks after he was chosen in an anonymous player survey on the “Most Overrated Player” of the league, although not in the end with many voices. The highly played narrative apparently came just right, he seems to be fired and played with a wide chest.
His self -esteem as an absolute superstar of the NBA was rarely higher. So he seemed to move forward when the Eastern Conference Finale Finale was announced because he was expecting his name. Instead, the honor of the Larry Bird Trophy went to Pascal Siakam, Haliburton had to turn back halfway.
Bird was the head coach of the Pacers when they moved into the finals in 2000.
“I’m just a young man from Cameroon who came to the USA at the age of 18 and gave everything for basketball,” said Siakam.
Five out of nine votes selected journalists went to Siakam, the rest of Haliburton.
Roller romance: Pacers reservists bring the energy
The Pacers had the whole series about the advantage of the deeper and better bank. Which does not mean that every reservist for Indiana played an outstanding series, especially her Sixth Man Bennedict Mathurin was very changeable from game to game and dived again in game 6.
In the playoffs, however, only one or two good reservists are needed per game, in the last duel of the series they were OBI Toppin and Thomas Bryant. Both played important minutes and were urgently needed, since Aaron Nesmith and Myles Turner both quickly came to foultroble with five fouls in just under 20 minutes.
In addition, Jarace Walker injured himself in the fourth quarter, Tony Bradley came into the game and was not used. The alternatives in the front court were missing behind Toppin and Bryant, but luckily they didn’t need – from the perspective of the Pacers.
Toppin scored 18 points (7/11 FG), grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 3 throws. His talent as an energy is not new, against his former team Toppin was even more motivated than usual.
Bryant’s hit from Downtown (3/4) came to crucial moments, and he also met his main task neatly: Mitchell Robinson from the offensive rebound. The Knicks Big grabbed 5 rebounds for second chances, but they mainly came against other opponents.
NBA Playoffs, Pacers vs. Knicks: Voices of the night
Rick Carlisle (Head Coach, Indiana Pacers): “This is only basketball in 49 countries, but this is Indiana!”
Rick Carlisle (Head Coach, Indiana Pacers): “There is no time to drink champagne. If you arrive at this point of the season, there are two teams and one goal. It is about everything or nothing and we understand the meaning.”
Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) about the Pacers: “You saw more in me than myself.”
Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers) about the pacers’ recipe for success: “We have young players, we want to run and defend. And we use the power of friendship!”
Tom Thibodeau (Head Coach, New York Knicks): “In phases we played very good defense, not in phases. If you look at it, it was due to our defense? Or on our gymnastics? Probably a combination of both things.”