Pascal Siakam delivered a postseason masterpiece Friday night, pouring in 39 points to lead the Indiana Pacers past the New York Knicks, 114-109, and into a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The victory marked Indiana’s sixth consecutive road win this postseason, giving them full control as the series heads back to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Sunday.
Siakam hit 15 of his 23 shots, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, carrying the Pacers offensively in a tight contest where no teammate made more than five field goals.
The Knicks, who had homecourt advantage entering the series, now face a historically daunting challenge—no team has ever recovered from dropping the first two games at home in a conference finals.
Tyrese Haliburton chipped in with 14 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, while Myles Turner added 16 points and a +17 plus-minus for Indiana.
Despite a 36-point, 11-assist night from Jalen Brunson, New York could not overcome a sluggish start to the fourth quarter where the Pacers ripped off a 13-4 run.
That spurt gave Indiana a 94-85 lead, and they maintained a steady cushion until a late Knicks rally made it a one-point game with 14 seconds left.
Aaron Nesmith hit two critical free throws and Turner sealed the win from the line after Brunson misfired on a potential tying three-pointer.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points each for the Knicks, but Towns saw just under 28 minutes of action as coach Tom Thibodeau leaned more on Mitchell Robinson’s defense in the second half.
Robinson finished with nine rebounds and helped New York stay close with second-chance opportunities, but the Knicks were ultimately undone by Indiana’s efficient shooting and clutch execution.
The Pacers shot 51.8 percent from the field and connected on 43.3 percent of their three-point attempts, compared to New York’s 47.6 and 34.4 percent, respectively.
The teams were deadlocked at 81 entering the fourth, but the Pacers’ aggression early in the final frame proved decisive.
As the series shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers will aim to move one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
Game 3 tips off Sunday night, where the Knicks will need a breakthrough to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole that no team has ever climbed out of in NBA history.
