INDIANAPOLIS: Pascal Siakam scored 31 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 13 assists, and the Indiana Pacers pulled away for a 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.
Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team as the gold-clad crowd gave the starters a roaring ovation when they departed with 47.2 seconds left.
Indiana will visit Oklahoma City for Game 1 on Thursday night.
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.
The Knicks still have not reached the Finals since 1999, and they couldn’t extend the series in a game that was tough and physical right from the start.
Whether it was Towns limping after drawing a foul or Haliburton holding his jaw when he took a shot that knocked him to the ground, the tone was set early — and never really changed with so much at stake.
Indiana finally broke open a close game by opening the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 78-63 lead 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.
Pacers star and Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was on the 1999-2000 Pacers team that made The Finals, served as the color analyst for TNT’s final broadcast.
New York was trying to become the 14th team in league history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a series. It hasn’t won a title since 1973.
Indiana Pacers beat New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 to reach NBA Finals
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Indiana Pacers beat New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 to reach NBA Finals
- Pacers reach NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history
- Game 1 with Western Conference champs OKC begins Thursday night
Golf Saudi ambassador Charley Hull seals thrilling victory to clinch PIF Saudi Ladies International
- World No. 5’s 60-foot eagle proves decisive in dramatic final round surge
RIYADH: Charley Hull carded a seven-under 65 in the final round of the $5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International to be crowned the champion of the Ladies European Tour season opener.
Hull proved her affection for Riyadh Golf Club once again — she previously won here in 2024 and three further top 10s in the Saudi capital — scrambling through a packed field, posting seven birdies and an eagle on the par five 12th courtesy of a 60-foot putt.
The 29-year-old, who now has five LET wins to her name, had a nervy wait after holing a birdie putt on her 72nd hole of the week to post the clubhouse lead in the first PIF Global Series event of the year.
Clutching the trophy, Hull said: “I feel great, and I love this golf course, and I like how it’s really matured over the years. It’s getting trickier each year. The grass is getting thicker, and I just really like it. It was a good challenge.
“I’ve worked really hard this off-season, so it’s nice to see results straight away. It’s one of the bigger events on the LET, and it feels like a home event for me because I’m a Golf Saudi ambassador. So, it’s really special to win for my sponsors.”
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander made her own back-nine charge for the title, birdieing four out of a five-hole stretch between 11-15. A bogey on the par three 17th left the 26-year-old, who contested a Sunshine Tour playoff just last week, needing a birdie to force another one, but the crucial putt missed its mark, finishing runner-up for the second week in a row alongside Japan’s Akie Iwai.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda made a consistent start to the season with an opening round of 67, followed by three 68s to tie for fourth with third-round co-leader Hye-Jin Choi from Korea.
England’s prodigious Mimi Rhodes, who led the field after the first two rounds but lost ground with a score of level par on Friday, rallied with a convincing five-under par 67 to finish joint sixth.
The PIF Global Series heads to Las Vegas for its second stop, making a historic West Coast debut. This event signals the first time both the PIF Global Series and the Aramco Championship will be hosted in the region, bringing elite-level competition to one of the world’s premier sports and entertainment destinations. Scheduled from April 2–5, the tournament will see players competing for a prestigious $4 million prize fund.
