Knicks failed to clean up their act — and it burned them in Game 6
INDIANAPOLIS — Turnovers were a major issue for the Knicks throughout the Eastern Conference finals, and their last game of the series — and their season — certainly was no different.
The Knicks coughed up the ball a series-high 18 times and they were outscored by a whopping 34-13 margin off turnovers in falling for the fourth and final time to the Pacers, 125-108, in Game 6 on Saturday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges were the primary culprits with five giveaways apiece, followed by two each by Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
Advertisement
3 Jalen Brunson had issues turning the ball over in the Knicks' 125-108 Game 6 loss to the Pacers on May 31, 2025.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Pacers wing Andrew Nembhard, who was switched by Indiana coach Rick Carlisle to the primary defender against Brunson with Aaron Nesmith slowed by an ankle issue, recorded six steals.
Tyrese Haliburton added three in the series clincher as the Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.
Haliburton, who arrived to the game in all black to supposedly signify that he would be attending a funeral for the Knicks, also had 21 points and 13 assists for the Pacers, who will face the Thunder in the Finals with both teams looking for a first NBA title. It marked the fifth time in the six games that Haliburton was credited with two or more steals.
Advertisement
The Knicks committed 10 turnovers in Saturday's first half, and they finished with at least 15 in five of the six games, with the lone exception their 13 in a Game 2 defeat. Even in the two games the Knicks emerged victorious, they were charged with 15 in Game 3 and Game 5.
In the first five games, the Knicks lost the ball 75 times and conceded 106 points, while scoring only 48 points off Indiana giveaways.
Josh Hart committed five turnovers in the Knicks' home loss in Game 4, and said afterward that he was 'embarrassed by his play.'
Advertisement
3 Tyrese Haliburton defends Mikal Bridges during the Knicks' season-ending Game 6 loss to the Pacers.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Down by 15 points (78-63) with 6:44 to go in Saturday's third quarter, the Knicks embarked on an 8-0 run to close within seven.
But Nesmith scored in transition following Pascal Siakam's steal of Mikal Bridges, T.J. McConnell buried a 3-pointer after Robinson fumbled the ball out of bounds, and former Knicks forward Obi Toppin nailed another trey after Miles McBride was called for stepping out of bounds — as the Pacers stretched the lead back to 15 by the end of the quarter.
Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs
Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series.
Advertisement
The Knicks then netted the first six points of the fourth, but Nembhard pick-pocketed Brunson for his sixth steal — and Brunson's fifth turnover — resulting in a layup at the other end for a 14-point game with 8:25 remaining.
3 Mitchell Robinson pulls down a rebound during the third quarter of the Knicks' loss.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks' transition defense, in general, was atrocious Saturday night, with the Pacers finishing the game with a 25-10 edge in fast-break points, including four buckets off the inbounds pass following made baskets by the Knicks, which TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy at one point labeled 'inexcusable.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal Makes Strong Statement Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors
Shaquille O'Neal Makes Strong Statement Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The past couple of weeks have seen NBA trade rumors reach a fever pitch surrounding Milwaukee Bucks' star Giannis Antetokounmpo, with teams such as the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks listed among the contenders. Advertisement On Monday, as trade rumors continue to swirl, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal offered a contrarian view on an episode of "Good Word with Goodwill." When asked what advice he'd give a 30-year-old Antetokounmpo weighing a departure from Milwaukee, O'Neal emphasized that "social media is the market now," downplaying traditional notions of "big markets." "Nobody cares what city you're in anymore. This ain't the 90s," O'Neal said. He argued further that Antetokounmpo has already cultivated a global brand as the "Greek Freak," making any city capable of supporting his stardom, saying that he should instead, "Go upstairs and be like 'I want to see all the free agents, I want all the phone numbers and I want to talk to them.' He should bring people to help." Several current small-market stars reinforce O'Neal's point. Advertisement Nikola Jokic, playing in Denver, has won multiple MVPs (2021, 2022, 2024) and an NBA championship (2023), despite Denver's middle-market status. Similarly, Luka Doncic thrived in Dallas, elevating the Mavericks to perennial contenders and even an NBA Finals appearance in 2024. This year's 2025 NBA Finals also features two small-market teams in the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Blaze-Imagn Images Antetokounmpo himself has grown his off-court influence from Milwaukee, with endorsement deals and social media engagement rivaling some of the larger markets. While Los Angeles still offers unique media exposure, O'Neal suggested that the increased tax burden and constant media circus could offset those advantages. Advertisement Related: Draymond Green Sends Strong Message After Big Steph Curry News Related: Warriors Linked to Timberwolves Guard After Disappointing End to Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
Find out what coaching lessons Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman learned from his father
A large reason why David Adelman is now a full-time head coach in the NBA is the performance by the Denver Nuggets this postseason. With Adelman at the helm as interim head coach, the team played 14 games and won half of them. Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets speaks to interim head coach David Adelman against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on May 5, 2025. AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images The team defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games and then ended up losing out to the Oklahoma City Thunder in another series that reached seven games. "It was an experience, and obviously didn't end the way we wanted to end, but you do look back, you see a lot of the positives in some of those historical playoff games," said Adelman, who got the full-time head coaching job after the Nuggets exit from the playoff. Adelman was asked about reaching this level of coaching by CBS Colorado Sports lead anchor Romi Bean on Xfinity Monday Live. "I know you got a lot of mentors and people (who've helped you) along the way, but of course, you've got a Hall of Famer you can just call up (with questions) and say, 'Hey, daddy,'" said Romi, referring to Adelman's father Rick Adelman, a longtime NBA head coach. "I'm curious, what is the biggest thing you've learned or taken from your dad that you put into your coaching?" Head coach Rick Adelman of the Portland Trail Blazers talks with his team during an NBA basketball game against the Washington Bullets in 1991 at the Capital Centre. Adelman coached the Trail Blazer from 1989-94. Focus On Sport / Getty Images "Probably just the way you react in games," replied Adelman. "Keeping yourself at a good level emotionally. It allows you to kind of see through things when things get tough and conflict is in your in your face." Adelman said a key to his father's success as a coach was "being very temperate." "I watched him growing up," he said. "Understanding the situations is key." "Understanding that when you get away from these games, the mental health aspect is really important. You've got to be able to take a break, take a breath, to give yourself the best advantage to look back at the game and look at it in an honest way to coach your players." Adelman considers himself very lucky to have had his dad as an example, and lucky that he has shared the bench with two other coaches recently who also had dads who were successful coaches. "I came from a staff that obviously had a lot of dads that coached, with Coach (Michael) Malone and Ryan Saunders, so it's an advantage for sure," he said.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Josh Hart feels he ‘failed' the Knicks in Eastern Conference finals
NEW YORK — Josh Hart didn't sugarcoat it. Typically the Knicks' do-it-all glue guy, Hart was not satisfied with how he played in the Eastern Conference finals. 'I failed the team,' Hart said after the Knicks' season-ending Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 'I didn't bring it the way I should have, especially in this series, and if I played better, it could've been a different situation.' Advertisement Hart scored a series-low four points on 1-of-6 shooting in Game 6, while his six rebounds matched his lowest output of any game in the postseason. His 22 minutes were his fewest in any game this season. He said he suffered a dislocated finger in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 125-108 defeat, and afterward, he shook hands in the locker room using his non-dominant left hand. Hart finished the series with a plus/minus of -16, meaning the Knicks were outscored by 16 points with him on the court. 'I didn't play how I normally play,' Hart said. 'There were some games I had three or four turnovers and let that cause me to get out my game and make me passive, because you know how costly turnovers are.' Advertisement Hart committed five turnovers in the Knicks' Game 4 loss before he fouled out. He finished the series with 13 turnovers. The 30-year-old guard did deliver some late-game heroics, particularly with his rebounding, in the Knicks' wins in Games 3 and 5. But Hart averaged 8.3 points and 3.0 assists per game — both well below his season averages — to go with 9.3 rebounds per game. 'I felt like I was playing hard, trying to find it,' Hart said. Hart started each of his 77 appearances in the regular season, as well as the Knicks' first 14 playoff games. His +38 in the Knicks' first-round series against the Detroit Pistons was the best on the team. Advertisement But after the Knicks' starting lineup was outplayed in the first two games of the conference finals — contributing to an 0-2 series hole — Hart volunteered to come off the bench. Seven-foot center Mitchell Robinson started the final four games in Hart's place. 'I had some good games and then some bad games,' Hart said. 'Just trying to find it. I couldn't find it. Obviously, extremely disappointed. Could've and should've played better. That's gonna sting for a while.' ____
