INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Indiana’s Pascal Siakam recorded 31 points and three blocked shots and the Pacers are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 after notching a 125-108 victory over the visiting New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.
Siakam was voted the Eastern Conference finals MVP. Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points, 13 assists and three steals for fourth-seeded Indiana. Obi Toppin added 18 points off the bench and Andrew Nembhard had 14 points and six steals for the Pacers.
Indiana will face the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Game 1 is Thursday in Oklahoma City.
OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds for third-seeded New York. Jalen Brunson had 19 points and seven assists and Mikal Bridges had 15 points for the Knicks.
Indiana had a 25-10 edge on fastbreak points to finish the series with a dominating 106-48 advantage in that category.
The Pacers shot 54.1 percent from the field, including a solid 17 of 33 from 3-point range (51.5 percent). Myles Turner and reserve Thomas Bryant had 11 points apiece and Aaron Nesmith added 10 for the Pacers.
New York made 47.7 percent of its shots and was 9 of 32 (28.1 percent) from behind the arc. Landry Shamet had 12 points on four treys off the bench.
New York trailed by 15 entering the final quarter but a basket by Towns and two in a row by Anunoby pulled the Knicks within 92-83 with 10:15 remaining.
Haliburton then took over as he scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the final stanza.
The Pacers pushed the lead back to 14 on a basket by Nembhard with 8:26 left.