The Knicks saved it shut for so long as they might.
Even because the Indiana Pacers managed the tempo, placed on a capturing clinic and compelled turnover after turnover, the Knicks by no means trailed by greater than six factors within the first half of Recreation 6 of the Jap Convention Finals.
They survived sluggish begins by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Cities.
They answered a speedy third-quarter run by the Pacers with considered one of their very own.
However ultimately, Indiana proved to be an excessive amount of.
The Knicks’ season got here to an finish with a 125-108 loss at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night time, dashing their desires of returning to the NBA Finals for the primary time since 1999.
The Pacers shot 17-of-33 (51.5%) on 3-pointers and turned 18 Knicks turnovers into 34 factors. Indiana scored 25 fastbreak factors to the Knicks’ 10.
Indiana’s Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 31 factors on 10-of-18 capturing. Tyrese Haliburton added 21 factors and 13 assists.
Brunson, who was hounded by a brand new major defender in Andrew Nembhard, scored 19 factors and completed 8-of-18 from the sector. Cities went 8-of-19 and completed with 22 factors and 14 rebounds.
The sport received away from the Knicks within the third quarter, when the Pacers outscored them 34-23 and rattled off two separate 9-0 runs.
Haliburton capped that third quarter with a coast-to-coast dunk, offering an ideal encapsulation of the unrelenting quick-strike offense that Indiana rode to a collection victory.
The loss introduced an unceremonious end to a season by which the Knicks earned the East’s No. 3 seed and superior to the convention finals for the primary time since 2000.
The Knicks had staved off elimination with Thursday’s commanding 111-94 win in Recreation 5 at Madison Sq. Backyard, inspiring hope that they unlocked the required changes to drag off an unbelievable collection comeback.
The Knicks largely dictated the tempo in that Recreation 5 win, with Mikal Bridges’ backcourt strain on Haliburton disrupting the circulation of Indiana’s offense.
However Indiana regained management of the tempo to begin Recreation 6.
They repeatedly pushed the ball down the courtroom, resulting in first-quarter layups for Siakam and Obi Toppin. In a single early two-minute stretch, Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Myles Turner every drilled a 3-pointer.
The Knicks dedicated six turnovers within the first quarter, however they trailed solely 25-24 via 12 minutes thanks largely to 5 offensive rebounds and 6 factors from Mitchell Robinson.
Haliburton received going within the second quarter.
His first factors got here on a wide-open 3-pointer after Cities retreated to the paint to guard in opposition to a drive, placing Indiana up 39-33. Later within the quarter, Haliburton leaked forward for an emphatic transition dunk.
However the Knicks hung round because of 12 second-quarter factors from OG Anunoby, together with an off-balance buzzer beater to finish the quarter.
The Knicks trailed 58-54 at halftime.
The Pacers opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run, with Siakam making a 3-pointer on the opening possession and including a three-point play lower than two minutes later.
It grew to a 20-9 run, with a pair of Thomas Bryant 3-pointers — and one other from Nembhard sandwiched in between — placing Indiana up 78-63 with 6:44 left within the third.
The Knicks responded with an 8-0 run, however Indiana answered with their second 9-0 run of the interval.
Haliburton then took over within the fourth, scoring 11 factors and dispensing 4 assists.
Nembhard completed with six steals and 14 factors. He acquired the task on Brunson as a result of Nesmith, who had guarded the Knicks’ level guard, was enjoying via a proper ankle sprain. Brunson completed with 5 turnovers, tying Bridges for the sport excessive.
“He’s been dominating this series,” Nembhard mentioned of Brunson throughout an in-game interview with TNT, “so anything I can do to irritate him would be good.”
The Knicks entered because the collection’ favorites, however they fell right into a 2-0 gap after back-to-back losses at house, together with a Recreation 1 by which they blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.
They have been making an attempt to grow to be the 14th workforce (out of 298) to come back again from a 3-1 deficit, and the primary to win a convention finals after dropping Video games 1 and a couple of at house.
As an alternative, that is the second yr in a row the Knicks have been eradicated by the Pacers, who beat them in seven video games within the second spherical final yr.
The Knicks have now misplaced their final 4 playoff collection in opposition to Indiana, courting again to 2000.
And now the Pacers are again within the NBA Finals for the primary time since 2000. Indiana is ready to face the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, with Recreation 1 scheduled for Thursday night time in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Initially Revealed: Could 31, 2025 at 10:46 PM EDT
