Pacers vs. Knicks: Epic Eastern Conference Finals Battle for the NBA Finals
The Eastern Conference Finals is set to take center stage on Saturday night as the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks face off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The series is currently tied at 3-2, with the Pacers holding a slight edge after losing Game 5 to the Knicks 111-94 on Thursday. The Pacers are looking to make their second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history and the first in 25 years. They have a strong home record, with star Tyrese Haliburton leading the way. Haliburton had a historic stat line in his most recent contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, finishing with 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, four steals, and no turnovers. He became the first player to record at least 30 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and no turnovers in a playoff game since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78. The Knicks have rebounded from a slow start to this series, winning two of the last three games since inserting Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup. Coach Tom Thibodeau has expanded New York's rotation, and All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns has started driving to the basket more frequently. Towns has averaged 24 points and 13.3 rebounds in the last three games, while All-Star guard Jalen Brunson has averaged 28.7 points over that span. A win for the Pacers would mark the final chapter in TNT's long history of broadcasting NBA games, as the network will not carry games next season. A Knicks win would send the series back to New York for Game 7 on Monday night. The series winner will open the finals on Thursday at Oklahoma City. The road team has won each of the first three games in this series, while the home team has prevailed in each of the last two. The Pacers have a strong home record and a talented roster, but the Knicks have shown they can compete on the road and will be looking to make history by rallying from a 3-1 deficit to win the series. It promises to be an exciting and entertaining matchup between two talented teams.
