Closeout video games are when NBA stars are wanted probably the most. It’s why groups pay them the large bucks and on this case, it’s why the Pacers have Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton because the staff’s highest-paid gamers.
With a shot at clinching an NBA Finals berth in Thursday’s Jap Convention Recreation 5, they have been virtually invisible whereas Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Cities led the best way to power a Recreation 6.
After having memorable Madison Sq. Backyard performances — Siakam’s playoff-best Recreation 2 and Haliburton’s clutch Recreation 1 heroics — the duo have been stifled by the Knicks in a 111-94 defeat. They couldn’t get free like earlier video games and mixed for 23 factors on 7-of-20 taking pictures on Thursday night time.
“Rough night for me,” Haliburton admitted postgame. “I gotta be better setting the tone, getting downhill. I feel like I didn’t do a great job of that, but I’ll watch the film. There were some different things they did defensively.”
Haliburton received a style of his personal medication Thursday as he confronted full-court strain principally from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. The star, who averaged 24.3 factors getting into Recreation 5, didn’t even make his first shot until the 9:40 mark of the third quarter. He was shortly reminded of the Knicks’ strain 16 seconds after when he tried to drive by the paint for a layup however had the shot swatted out of bounds by Mitchell Robinson.
The third-quarter bucket was simply considered one of two makes on an evening he registered his poorest outing of the sequence: eight factors, six assists and two rebounds.
For Siakam, his final MSG outing featured a 39-point efficiency, a playoff career-high for the nine-year veteran. He didn’t even get near that very same success Thursday after logging 15 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists.
The rotations have been higher. Extra importantly, the Pacers couldn’t get the frequent success on pick-and-roll actions in opposition to the Knicks like they’ve had all sequence. And the offensive possessions by Tom Thibodeau’s squad led to makes, disallowing the Pacers to get out on the break incessantly.
Siakam’s rationalization after the loss was easy: “They played harder than us.”
On the opposite facet, Brunson and Cities delivered blow after blow in a sport they led by as many as 22 factors. There was no late comeback magic for the Pacers.
KAT and the captain wouldn’t permit it.
Brunson was scorching from the beginning, scoring 12 factors inside the first 9 minutes of Recreation 5. He cooled off then scored 5 straight proper after halftime earlier than changing a four-point play on the 2:56 mark to induce a deafening cheer at The Backyard. All of them contributed to a 32-point outing on 12-of-18 taking pictures.
Cities’ first barrage got here as Thibodeau inserted him with reserves within the second quarter. He recorded 13 of his 24 factors within the interval, proving a banged-up knee wouldn’t sluggish him down after getting into the matchup as a game-time determination.
Cities later served a pair of daggers within the remaining minutes of the fourth.
First, he blew by Siakam on the perimeter and completed over Bennedict Mathurin for an and-1 end on the 2:44 mark. He went again for extra 30 seconds later and scored on a dunk that put the Knicks’ lead at 18. He went 10-of-20 whereas logging 13 rebounds and three assists.
Lastly, the MSG crowd witnessed an Jap Convention Finals victory because the Pacers stars struggled.
There was no choke gestures by Haliburton. No groans after momentum-killing Siakam makes. However there was a standing ovation on the finish that led to “Knicks in seven” chants.
The Backyard crowd now hopes they’ll see their staff yet another time for Recreation 7 following one other do-or-die matchup in Indiana on Saturday.
Haliburton and his staff, although, have little question they’ll keep away from a Recreation 7 whereas holding a 3-2 sequence lead.
“It’s one game,” Haliburton mentioned of the Recreation 5 stinker. “I think their crowd’s excited as they should be. There’s a lot of energy in the building. I have the most confidence in myself and my group to play to our ability in Game 6. So I don’t think there’s any any need to panic by any means.”
Initially Printed: Could 29, 2025 at 11:03 PM EDT
