Highlights from Indiana’s NBA Finals victory over New York

Tyrese Haliburton’s double-double secures Pacers’ NBA Finals berth.

The Indiana Pacers are advancing to the NBA Finals.

Indiana defeated the New York Knicks 125-108 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The triumph marks the Pacers’ first participation in the NBA Finals in 25 years, having previously done it in 2000, when they defeated the Knicks in six games in the Eastern finals.

Indiana saw seven players score in double digits, including Pascal Siakam (31 points) and Tyrese Haliburton (21 points and 13 assists).

Siakam became the first player in Pacers franchise history to have at least 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a series-clinching game.

Indiana exploited New York’s weaknesses in Game 6: ball control and transition defense. ESPN Research found that the Pacers outscored the Knicks 41-10 in transition and 34-13 in points off turnovers.

Five Knicks scored in double figures, topped by OG Anunoby with 24 points.

The Pacers will meet NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals, which begin on Thursday (8:30 p.m., ABC).

Here are the top moments and highlights from Indiana’s Game 6 victory.

2025 NBA playoffs: Eastern and Western Conference Finals Takeaways

Tyrese Haliburton’s double-double secures Pacers’ NBA Finals berth.

The 2025 NBA conference finals have ended. The Oklahoma City Thunder won the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, and the Indiana Pacers advanced to the Finals by defeating the New York Knicks on Saturday night.

The Thunder held a 2-0 lead in the West finals against the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves before being blasted away in Game 3 at Target Center. However, the Thunder rallied to win Game 4 in a back-and-forth fight before dominating Game 5 on Wednesday to seal the series.

In the East, the Indiana Pacers seized a 2-0 lead over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. However, the Knicks rallied on the Pacers’ home court in Game 3 thanks to a fourth-quarter burst by Karl-Anthony Towns. The Pacers responded by winning Game 4 at home, while the Knicks easily beat Indiana in Game 5. The Pacers ultimately won Game 6 on their own court, advancing to their first NBA Finals since 2000.

Our NBA insiders discuss their key takeaways from the games and what to watch next.

Jump to a series.
Pacers – Knicks | Timberwolves – Thunder

For the previous two seasons, the Indiana Pacers have been seen as a fun, up-and-coming underdog in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They were a squad to keep an eye on, and one that could rise in the future, despite last year’s unexpected run to the conference finals against the Boston Celtics.

Well, it turns out that ascension is complete, and much faster than anyone — probably even the Pacers themselves — could have predicted.

With a 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks, this franchise’s oldest and most bitter rival, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in front of a raucous sellout crowd inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since beating the same foe 25 years ago.

At the start of last year’s playoffs, no one could have imagined such an accomplishment. Indiana had just ended a three-year playoff drought after failing to win a single playoff series in more than a decade, and they entered the game as a huge underdog to the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play in that series, Damian Lillard was injured by the conclusion, and the Pacers advanced.

Then came a series against the New York Knicks, which Indiana won in seven games despite missing four of its five starters by the conclusion of the first quarter in Game 7. As a result, excuses were made and flaws were found in the Pacers’ accomplishments.

A four-game sweep at the hands of the eventual champion Celtics, despite multiple close games and star Tyrese Haliburton’s early absence due to injury, did not change that opinion.

But what about this season? Everything is different. Indiana handily defeated Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the first round, including the first of many stunning comebacks in these playoffs to seal the series in Game 5. Then followed the five-game annihilation of the 64-win, No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals, which included eviscerations in Games 4 and 5, leaving no debate about which club deserved to proceed.

Then came this slugfest of a series against the Pacers’ eternal foes, the Knicks. Indiana took the first two games in Madison Square Garden, including another truly ridiculous comeback in Game 1, before finally closing out the series in front of its home crowd in Game 6.

In Game 6, the Pacers dominated in transition, just as they had throughout the series. And it, combined with their most recent outstanding 3-point shooting performance in these playoffs, enabled them to eliminate New York from the playoffs for the second year in a row, the fourth in a row, and the sixth time overall in their nine postseason meetings since 1993.

For coach Rick Carlisle, it’s the completion of a vision that began when he moved to Indianapolis from Dallas in 2021, and especially after he finally traded for Haliburton, a player he’d wanted since the 2020 draft, in 2022. For Haliburton, it was the latest indication of the 25-year-old’s emergence as one of the NBA’s future generation of stars. And it demonstrated to Pacers head of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and the front office that a vision centered on Haliburton’s particular abilities could produce both extremely entertaining and winning basketball.

There’s certainly still a lot of work to do. Anyone who has seen the Oklahoma City Thunder play understands how difficult it will be to beat them. Still, for the Pacers, this is a time to enjoy and celebrate the incredible feat that this team has done in what appears to be the blink of an eye. Indiana has regained its lead in the East. With a club captained by one of the league’s brightest young players, it has the potential to stay for a long time. — Tim Bontemps

Key takeaways for the Pacers:

Haliburton promised to be more active in Game 6, and while he didn’t score many points, he was back as the initiator, encouraging the Pacers’ offense to get out and run.

Indiana’s fast-paced tempo will be a strength as it prepares to face Oklahoma City’s juggernaut defense in the Finals, and Haliburton will need to keep the Pacers going. In Game 6, Haliburton had 21 points, 13 assists, and three steals, with his hit-ahead passes enabling the Pacers score 38 points in transition, the highest by a team in a game this postseason, according to ESPN monitoring.

Meanwhile, Pascal Siakam was Indiana’s most consistent offensive performer in the series, scoring another 26 points. The Pacers rebounded from their worst postseason performance, almost matching their Game 5 total (94) with 92 points through three quarters. — Jamal Collier

Tyrese Haliburton drops the hammer with fast-break flush.
Tyrese Haliburton rockets to the rim for a huge slam for the Pacers.

Key takeaways for the Knicks:

The way the Knicks approached Game 5 — staging their defensive rotations with power and precision, and taking care of the ball to guarantee the quick Pacers couldn’t parlay their mistakes into easy points — made me wonder whether New York could do it after all. A win in enemy territory in Game 6 would send the series back to Madison Square Garden for Game 7, which would be tense for the visiting Pacers, who would have given up a 3-1 lead.

However, the third quarter of Game 6, in which the Knicks coughed up the ball numerous times, ruled off the possibility of a Game 7. New York’s aspirations of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter century have officially ended.

In the final loss, the Knicks committed 18 key turnovers, which the Pacers capitalized on for 34 points. Indiana tallied 25 fast-break points to New York’s ten, with the Pacers frequently rushing down the court to score within three or four seconds of a basket on the opposite end.

New York simply lacked the discipline required to defeat a Pacers team that makes few mistakes, especially at home. And now the Knicks will have all summer to reflect on how close they came. — Chris Herring

Finals Game One: Pacers @ Thunder (June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

What to Watch:

Indiana had their poorest offensive performance of the postseason in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, scoring only 94 points in a blowout loss. This was an outlier for the playoff club with the second highest offensive rating.

But the Pacers returned to form in Game 6, scoring 125 points and making 52% of their 3-point attempts — and they’d better hope to keep it up over the next few weeks. The Thunder will be widely favored to win this surprising Finals meeting, and Indiana’s only chance is to keep up its blistering scoring pace.

In theory, the Pacers have a few advantages over the league’s greatest defense. Indiana has the third-lowest turnover rate in both the regular season and the playoffs, thanks to Haliburton’s exceptional ball security, which could help the Pacers minimize Oklahoma City’s lucrative turnover game. Indiana also leads all postseason teams in 3-point percentage (40%), which may hurt a Thunder defense that allows a lot of 3-pointers. Aaron Nesmith (50% on 3s in the playoffs), Andrew Nembhard (48%), and Myles Turner (40%), all of whom have been on fire in recent weeks, should get plenty of long-range looks against Oklahoma City.

But make no mistake: Oklahoma City’s defense is far more formidable than anything Indiana has faced to this far. After attacking diminutive guards like Darius Garland and Brunson to reach the Finals, the Pacers will face no easy opponents in the Finals. And the Thunder have the league’s deepest pool of top-tier defensive guards, setting the setup for a confrontation with Haliburton.

Haliburton and his teammates have exceeded all expectations in the playoffs so far. Do they have one more surprise in store? — Zach Kram

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder won the series over (6) Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1.

When the Thunder reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 2012, it was logical to believe it was the beginning of a run. Then James Harden had a contract issue and was transferred. Then Kevin Durant damaged his right foot, and Russell Westbrook injured his right knee.

It’s been 13 years, with a lot of sadness as stars left and a complete rebuild.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma City took nothing for granted as the NBA’s youngest team celebrated its first championship as a bunch. The team will desire more as they approach the Finals, but they will also recognize the importance of the moment.

“Nothing is promised,” a defeated Timberwolves coach Chris Finch stated. “When you’re in the moment you’ve got to go for it. They’re positioned to go for it right now.”

The right now is critical. Indeed, the Thunder believe they have a runway. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has won two MVP awards in the last week, emphasized the team’s youth. But Finch’s words are also meaningful.

The Thunder approached the series with intensity. They attacked the season with urgency. With 80 wins in 98 games this season, they will approach the Finals with assurance. — Brian Windhorst

Biggest takeaways for the Thunder:

Witness Thunder’s peak power.

It would be impossible to match Oklahoma City’s dominance in the first half. As usual, the defense began with a swarming, smothering effort. The Cancun weather will feel lovely and refreshing after what the Thunder put the Timberwolves through while building a 33-point lead, forcing 14 turnovers and limiting Minnesota to 12-of-38 shooting.

By halftime, all three Thunder stars had scored in double digits. Gilgeous-Alexander (20 points, five assists) scored 32 points in the first half, matching the Timberwolves total. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren each had 15 points.

The second half was essentially a set-up for the Western Conference finals trophy presentation.

It won’t be the Thunder’s last prize this season if they can perform at this level in the Final. — Timothy MacMahon

Key takeaways for the Timberwolves:

Minnesota was in the same situation a year ago, trailing 3-1 in the Western Conference finals into Game 5, and the game was finished before it began, with the Dallas Mavericks dominating 35-19 after the first quarter.

Wednesday was somewhat bad.

The Wolves trailed 26-9 entering the second quarter at Oklahoma City, the fewest points in a postseason quarter in franchise history. Anthony Edwards scored six points, while the rest of the Minnesota roster managed only three more on 1-for-15 shooting.

Even though Minnesota rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat Oklahoma City in overtime during the regular season, this game was lost at halftime. The Wolves trailed 65-32 at halftime, with more turnovers (14 — the most in any half this year, regular season and playoffs combined) than field goals made (12). When the Thunder extended their advantage to 37 in the second quarter, the Wolves faced their worst deficit of the season, edging out a 36-point loss to the New York Knicks in December.

It was a harsh conclusion to Minnesota’s Cinderella run, as one of the league’s hottest teams for months and the No. 6 seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Minnesota went 25-6 between March 2 and the start of the conference finals. The Wolves lost four of their five games against the Thunder, including three at Paycom Center, by a total of 71 points.

If the Thunder are going to be the team Minnesota has to beat to win the West for the next few years — and it appears they will be — the Wolves have their work cut out for them.

In this series, their young combination of Edwards and Jaden McDaniels fell behind the Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams in terms of talent. And, with contract decisions on Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker coming up this summer, their efficacy — or lack thereof — versus Oklahoma City must be weighed. — Dave McMenamin

SGA stars again to send OKC to the NBA Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 34 points as the Thunder cruise over the Timberwolves for a 4-1 series victory.

Finals Game One: Pacers @ Thunder (June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

What to Watch:

Regardless of whether the Indiana Pacers win the Eastern Conference finals or the New York Knicks come back from a 3-1 deficit, Oklahoma City will enter the Finals with home-court advantage and as the overwhelming favorite.

The Thunder won 17 more games than the Knicks and 18 more than the Pacers, and while that’s not definitive — both East teams defeated 60-win teams in the conference semifinals, and the 50-win Denver Nuggets provided Oklahoma City with its most difficult test to date — it’s a significant advantage.

The Thunder defeated both East finalists 2-0 during the regular season and will have the advantage because their series began a day sooner. If New York can extend the series, it will benefit Oklahoma City, which did not have to work hard in the conference finals due to multiple blowouts (including the Timberwolves’ lone victory).

Gilgeous-Alexander was the only Thunder player who averaged more than 34 minutes versus Minnesota. In comparison, three Pacers and five Knicks have surpassed that mark thus far in an East series marked by close games, including overtime in Game 1.

Finally, Oklahoma City’s history is at stake, as the team seeks its first title since moving from Seattle in 2008. Gilgeous-Alexander might become the first MVP to win the title since Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors in 2014-2015. No player has won MVP in both the regular season and the Finals since LeBron James did so with the Miami Heat in 2011-12 and 2012-13. — Kevin Pelton

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Pacers defeat Knicks to reach first NBA Finals in 25 years.

Pascal Siakam’s Best Plays from the Eastern Conference Finals (1:55)

INDIANAPOLIS — On Saturday night, the Indiana Pacers advanced to their first NBA Finals in 25 years, capping off their playoff journey from up-and-coming, and perhaps underestimated, underdogs to Eastern Conference champions.

The Pacers defeated the Knicks 4-2 in the conference finals, including a 125-108 victory in Game 6, to earn their first trip to the Finals since 2000.

“I can’t put into words how special this group is,” Pacers player Tyrese Haliburton stated. “And how much this means to us.”

Indiana will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, which begin on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

Pascal Siakam earned the Larry Bird Trophy as Eastern Conference finals MVP after scoring 31 points and narrowly defeating Haliburton in the vote. Haliburton had 21 points, 13 assists, and 6 rebounds on Saturday. Following the final buzzer, the two Pacers stars had a long embrace.

“It’s rewarding to be in this position,” said Siakam, who had 30 points in three games throughout the series. “To be able to get to this level and having an opportunity to play for an NBA championship, that’s amazing.”

Haliburton went further: “We just talked about, man, this is what we got together to do. To do something special, and we’re part of it right now.”

After reaching the conference finals last year but being swept by the Boston Celtics, the Pacers struggled to start the 2024-25 season. They were under.500 as recently as January 1, but finished the season with a 34-14 record before entering the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the East.

Then the Pacers made an unlikely playoff run. They defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance. They also defeated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in a convincing five-game series, despite the Pacers’ underdog status in each game. That set up a meeting with the Knicks, possibly the franchise’s biggest nemesis, but Indiana won for the fourth consecutive postseason series and sixth time in their last seven encounters.

Throughout their run, the Pacers staged three remarkable comebacks. They trailed by eight points with less than one minute remaining three times during the playoffs and rallied to win, a feat accomplished by only one other team in NBA history prior to the Pacers.

“This group has been special, pulled off some very special things,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who is making his second NBA Finals appearance as a head coach (2011 Mavericks) and joining Bird as the franchise’s second coach to lead a club to the Finals. “So we don’t take it for granted at all.”

The event also brought some symmetry: the Pacers last made it to the NBA Finals in 2000, winning the conference finals against the Knicks in Game 6.

Indiana eventually lost the championship to the Los Angeles Lakers that season, so Carlisle’s words in the aftermath, when he recommended “this is not the time for popping champagne,” may have been sensible.

“I think you’ll enjoy tonight, and then we can move on,” added Siakam, who won a championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. “We got a team out there that’s waiting for us that’s serious. They’re the best team in the NBA. So that’s the challenge. I was telling the guys, for me, I got [to the Finals] when I was in Year 3 and I thought I would get back there a lot. It didn’t happen. So it’s a hell of an opportunity, and you don’t know when you’re going to get it again.”

Indiana will be huge underdogs again in the Finals. Oklahoma City was set as a -750 favorite to win the series, according to ESPN BET. In the past 20 years, only the 2018 Golden State Warriors, who were -1075 entering their series against the Cavaliers, were heavier favorites, according to ESPN Research.

The Pacers flew under the radar entering the postseason, lacking the star power typically reserved for presumed NBA Finals teams, but won the Eastern Conference thanks to a relentless offense that plays at a fast tempo that opposing teams have struggled to match, a deep bench, and a few thrilling comebacks punctuated by clutch play.

“I think it’s a new blueprint for the league, man,” said Pacers center Myles Turner, who has been with the franchise the longest. “The years of the superteams and stacking [stars] is not as effective as it once was. Since I’ve been in the league, this NBA is very trendy. It just shifts. But the new trend now is just kind of what we’re doing. OKC does the same thing. Young guys, get out and run, defend and use the power of friendship.”