The Indiana Pacers are one step closer to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000 after taking both games on the road against the New York Knicks, winning the latest 114-109.
This was far more comfortable than [the overtime thriller in Game 1](https://www.foxsports.com.au/basketball/huge-nba-playoff-twist-after-epic-buzzerbeater-as-brutal-choke-sledge-backfires/news-story/205b1600097deea87886195fc1519f60), which saw Tyrese Haliburton come up clutch with a buzzer beater and finish with 31 points.
This time around Haliburton struggled to find his shot, with just two points in the first half, but it was Pascal Siakam who took over for Indiana, dropping a career playoff-high 39 points.
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Indiana jumped out to a 19-9 lead on the back of 11 early points from Siakam, while New York was struggling to find its rhythm on offence after going 3-for-11 from the field at that point.
While everything was a struggle from the Knicks, they were playing right into the Pacers’ hands with cheap turnovers which allowed the Indiana to get easy buckets in transition.
First, Indiana double-teamed Brunson in the paint and forced him into a low-percentage pass which ended with Haliburton finding Siakam for the flush off a no-look dime.
Myles Turner later swatted the ball from Brunson as he attempted a layup and pushed the ball up to Siakam, who finished at the rim.
The slow start wasn’t necessarily a surprise given New York’s starting lineup was outscored by 16 points in the first game and by 24 points in the semifinals against Boston.
But Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters pre-game that as much as there may be focus on the starters’ struggles, “you also have to look at what happens when you bring the second unit in”.
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Fortunately for New York, the injection of Deuce McBride (five points) and Mitchell Robinson in particular turned the game as the Knicks rallied to go on a 10-0 run and take a 26-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Brunson scored or assisted on all 10 of those points on the run and finished the quarter with nine points, while Robinson was +12 off the bench and proving a menace on the offensive glass.
Meanwhile, Haliburton went scoreless for Indiana, who had just one field goal in the final five minutes of the period with Siakam (16 points) was the only consistent source of offence.
Siakam picked up where he left off early in the third quarter with a transition layup and then made a tough shot over Karl-Anthony Towns as the two teams were tied up at 33-33 early.
But the Knicks started to surge as Robinson blocked Obi Toppin, leading to a McBride triple on the other end, and then Towns chased and beat Haliburton for a long rebound before turning around and hitting the 3-pointer in one motion.
That forced Indiana into a timeout, down 38-33 and the Pacers answered back with a quick run of their own as Andrew Nembhard drained a 3-pointer and Turner blew by Robinson for the finish.
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It was an important response from Indiana to briefly silence the Madison Square Garden crowd, although they were brought to their feet soon after as Robinson went to the bench after 18 straight minutes.
Those 18 minutes helped turn the game, with the Knicks taking a 52-49 lead into halftime, but it quickly became clear early in the third quarter that Robinson couldn’t sit for long.
New York was +13 with Robinson on the court in the first half and -11 with Towns and as much as the further spaced the floor with his 3-point shooting, the Knicks were having all kinds of problems guarding Siakam.
The 2019 NBA Finals champion was taking full advantage any time he was on smaller defenders, while the Pacers were also having success hunting Towns as Siakam brought up 28 points.
Eventually, Thibodeau brought Robinson back in with the Pacers leading 70-67 after Haliburton, who only had two points in the first half, started to get going.
It left the Knicks with the same line-up of Robinson, McBride, OG Anunoby, Brunson and Mikal Bridges that closed out the first quarter on a run, with Thibodeau clearly hoping to get the same impact late in the third.
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Instead, Siakam was a man possessed as he once again finished through contact from Robinson to score, although Brunson helped the Knicks tie it up at 81-81 entering the fourth.
However, Brunson was on the bench to open the final quarter and the Pacers took full advantage as Siakam drained a 3-pointer to put Indiana up 94-85 early.
That prompted Thibodeau to call a timeout and a few misses from the Pacers on open looks from 3-point land opened the door for New York, who closed the gap to 94-89.
The Knicks were able to get within 97-94 and they looked to be in with a shot as Haliburton continued to struggle while Brunson was having no problems getting his shots to fall.
But then Haliburton confidently drained a deep triple to push the lead out to 106-99 before Siakam scored Indiana’s next four points, extending the difference to 110-100.
There were just over two minutes left at that point, although if there is one thing this year’s playoffs has taught us it is that both the Knicks and Pacers are capable of late comebacks.
And the Knicks went on a Brunson-inspired 9-0 run to set up another grandstand finish.
The Pacers nearly threw the ball away on the next possession, only for Brunson to be called for an early foul which put Indiana up 112-109.
The Knicks guard then missed a deep 3-point attempt as Indiana held on for another win.