Pacers beat Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 to reach NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.
— Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton made sure the Indiana Pacers gave their fans a celebration they waited 25 years to see again.
Siakam had 31 points and Haliburton scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, carrying the Pacers to a 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night for a 4-2 series win and their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000.
It’s just the second time in franchise history that they’ll play for the championship. The series begins Thursday at Oklahoma City.
Siakam won the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference finals MVP. Bird is the only other coach to take the Pacers to the Finals. Haliburton finished with 13 assists and Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team.
OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 19 points as the Pacers’ relentless ball pressure forced New York into 17 turnovers.
Whatever the explanation, the Knicks are headed home again courtesy of the Pacers. New York still hasn’t played in the finals since 1999.
It was a magical night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse — from the festive pregame atmosphere through the roaring ovation for the starters as they departed with 47.2 seconds to go to Reggie Miller’s presentation of the Eastern Conference’s Bob Cousy Trophy to Pacers owner Herb Simon on TNT’s final NBA broadcast. Miller was one of the telecast’s color analysts.
Indiana finally broke open a close game by opening the second half on a 9-0 run, then extended their lead to 78-63 courtesy of three straight 3-pointers — two from Thomas Bryant and one from Andrew Nembhard. The run ignited the crowd, which included everyone from Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson to WNBA star Caitlin Clark to Timothee Chalamet to Kylie Jenner.
But when the Knicks answered with eight straight to cut the deficit to 78-71, the Pacers responded with another 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the game and the Knicks were forced to play catch-up the rest of the night.
Past NBA champions by year of last 20 years since 2005
Winners over the last 20 years. For a full list of champions, visit Sportshistori.com.
2024-25 —
2023-24 — Boston Celtics
2022-23 — Denver Nuggets
2021-22 — Golden State Warriors
2020-21 — Milwaukee Bucks
2019-20 — Los Angeles Lakers
2018-19 — Toronto Raptors
2017-18 — Golden State Warriors
2016-17 — Golden State Warriors
2015-16 — Cleveland Cavaliers
2014-15 — Golden State Warriors
2013-14 — San Antonio Spurs
2012-13 — Miami Heat
2011-12 — Miami Heat
2010-11 — Dallas Mavericks
2009-10 — Los Angeles Lakers
2008-09 — Los Angeles Lakers
2007-08 — Boston Celtics
2006-07 — San Antonio Spurs
2005-06 — Miami Heat
2004-05 — San Antonio Spurs
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