Pacers Defeat Knicks in 6 Games, Advance to NBA Finals to Face Thunder
The Indiana Pacers have made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, defeating the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 of their conference finals matchup on Saturday. A year ago, the Pacers fell one round short of the championship series after losing in a four-game sweep to the Boston Celtics. This time, Indiana needed six games to dispatch the Knicks, a longtime rival of the franchise.
The Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals, with the series starting on June 5 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder were the NBA’s best team during the regular season, winning 68 games. Oklahoma City will have home-court advantage in the upcoming series.
Indiana was led to the championship round by point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in the series. The Pacers acquired Haliburton midway through the 2021-22 season in a move that shocked the NBA. The following summer, Indiana drafted guard Andrew Nembhard and traded for swingman Aaron Nesmith, both of whom have since played pivotal roles in the team’s starting lineup.
The Pacers also traded last season for forward Pascal Siakam, who was named to his third All-Star team earlier this year. Indiana is known for its frenetic style of play and has been one of the league’s best since the new year, posting a 34-14 record after Jan. 1, fourth best in the NBA.
The showdown with the Thunder will be the Pacers’ second finals appearance and first since 2000, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. Indiana is one of 10 NBA franchises never to have won a championship.
In other sports news, Oklahoma City Thunder has also advanced to the NBA Finals, while MLB has invested in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of its June debut. Knicks playoff games have also turned into photo shoots for A-list celebrities.
