In a decisive Game 7 against a historic rival, the Indiana Pacers delivered one of the greatest playoff performances ever to secure their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2014. Facing the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Pacers triumphed 130-109 on Sunday, led by Tyrese Haliburton’s 26 points.
The Pacers, who boasted the NBA’s top offense during the regular season, set a playoff record by shooting 67.1% from the field. Their 53 field goals matched the 1969 Knicks for the second-most in Game 7 history.
All five of Indiana’s starters scored 15+ points and shot over 50%, a Game 7 feat last achieved in 1971 and only the seventh occurrence in playoff history. The Pacers exploded with a 70-point first half on 76.3% shooting, joining the 2014 Clippers as the only teams to score at least 70 points in a Game 7 half since 1998.
Haliburton’s postseason tally of 200+ points and 100+ assists made him the first Pacer to achieve this, and only the third Pacer with 100+ assists in a single postseason, following Mark Jackson and Haywoode Workman.
TJ McConnell contributed significantly with 12 points and 7 assists, earning a +21 rating off the bench, a rare achievement in Game 7 history.
Despite a valiant effort, the Knicks fell short. Donte DiVincenzo set a Knicks playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored a career playoff-high 39 points. However, injuries plagued New York: Jalen Brunson’s broken hand in the third quarter, OG Anunoby’s brief appearance due to a hamstring injury, and Josh Hart’s abdomen issue were too much to overcome.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: Pacers Beat Knicks in Game 7 to Make First Conference Finals SInce 2014 first appeared on The Source.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: Pacers Beat Knicks in Game 7 to Make First Conference Finals SInce 2014 appeared first on The Source.