The Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton dismantles Knicks 130-109 on Sunday, securing their spot in the NBA Eastern Conference finals against the top-seeded Boston Celtics. The thrilling victory at Madison Square Garden marked the Pacers’ first road win in the series and their first conference finals appearance in a decade.
Tyrese Haliburton Dismantles Knicks, Ends Their Eastern Conference Dreams
Tyrese Haliburton led the charge with 26 points, while Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard contributed 20 each. The Pacers saw six players score in double digits, shooting a blistering 67.1% from the field. Donte DiVincenzo was the lone bright spot for the Knicks, hitting nine three-pointers en route to 39 points. Jalen Brunson added 17 before exiting with a broken hand in the fourth quarter, a devastating blow for the injury-plagued Knicks.
The Pacers, previously struggling on the road, seized control from the start. They dominated the first quarter, hitting 16 of 21 shots, including seven of nine from beyond the arc. Haliburton was on fire, scoring 14 points on five-of-seven shooting, while Siakam added 11, propelling the Pacers to a 39-27 lead.
New York’s famous crowd was stunned as Indiana extended their lead to 50-30 early in the second quarter. Despite a brief Knicks rally, Siakam’s crucial block on Brunson preserved a 70-55 halftime advantage for the Pacers. The Knicks cut the lead to six early in the third, but costly turnovers and relentless Pacers offense quashed any hopes of a comeback.
Injuries further hampered the Knicks, with OG Anunoby returning briefly from a hamstring injury, only to leave again, and Josh Hart struggling through an abdominal strain. The Knicks were already missing key players Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Bojan Bogdanovic.
As the Pacers celebrated, eyes turned to the West, where three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets faced a game seven showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The winner would meet the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals, with 22-year-old star Anthony Edwards aiming to lead the Timberwolves to just their second conference finals appearance.
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