Pacers return to NBA Finals after 25 years, set to face Thunder

After 25 years of waiting, the Indiana Pacers have returned to the NBA Finals stage.

The Pacers did it on Sunday, May 6 (Philippine time), when they defeated the New York Knicks in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Finals series, 125-108, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Pascal Siakam, who was eventually named the ECF Most Valuable Player, and Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton led the charge for the Pacers to close out the series, 4-2.

Siakam finished with a game-high 31 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks in an all-around effort to help the Pacers secure the crucial victory and bring Indiana back to the big stage.

Haliburton, on the other hand, recorded a double-double with 21 markers and 13 dimes. He also added six boards, three deflections, and one rejection.

Five other Pacers scored in double figures to help seal the Finals-clinching win. Obi Toppin finished with 18 points, while Andrew Nembhard chipped in 14 markers. Myles Turner and Thomas Bryant tallied 11 apiece, and Aaron Nesmith added 10.

The game remained close until halftime, with the Pacers holding a slim 58-54 lead. But in the third quarter, Indiana pulled away with a 34-23 run to build a lead that the Knicks couldn’t overcome until the final buzzer.

The Indiana Pacers will now face the young Oklahoma City Thunder squad in the Finals, which will begin on June 6 at 8:30 AM (PH time) at the Paycom Center in OKC.