Latest news with #EasternConferencefinals
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Five reasons the New York Knicks lost the Eastern Conference finals
Five reasons the New York Knicks lost the Eastern Conference finals Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals. Sports Pulse The New York Knicks will have plenty of time to dissect what went wrong in the Eastern Conference finals. New York was trying to make its first NBA Finals since 1999, and, after being eliminated in consecutive years by the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks must be proactive and honest about changes they will need to make to break through. For one, the team relies so significantly on All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson that he's often tasked with saving New York. But that's just the beginning. OPINION: Small-market Pacers party down in big way with NBA Finals trip MORE: Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference finals MVP after Pacers down Knicks Five reasons why the New York Knicks lost the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers: 1. Going down 0-2 at home Teams simply cannot gift games during the postseason, especially during the conference finals. Game 1, when the Knicks held a nine-point lead with 58.8 seconds left to play, was the epitome of a missed opportunity. The Knicks actually held a 17-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but they became complacent and could not answer Indiana's pace. It was bad enough for the Knicks to drop the series opener at home, but it was even worse when they dropped Game 2 in the Garden to fall behind 0-2 headed to Indiana. 2. Trying to match Indiana's tempo From Game 1, it appeared that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau's preference was to try to match Indiana's speed, rather than to grind games down. It would turn out to be misguided. The Knicks ranked 27th in the regular season in pace, generating 97.64 possessions per 48 minutes. Indiana ranked seventh (100.76). While the Knicks sometimes did have success against the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics in the earlier rounds when pushing tempo, New York would've been far better off slowing the game against the Pacers because this was exactly how Indiana wanted to play. 3. Turnovers The Knicks committed more turnovers than the Pacers in all but one of the games, and New York lost the turnover margin overall, 93-75. In itself, that's pretty bad, but it gets worse. Because of the speed with which the Pacers play, those turnovers turned into easy offense: the Pacers posted a crushing 140-61 advantage in points off turnovers throughout the series. 4. Transition defense The previous point feeds somewhat into this. But whether it was off of turnovers, missed shots or even out of inbounds passes on made attempts, New York did not sustain precise focus on spotting Pacers leaking out in transition. While physically demanding, Thibodeau could've done more to tweak strategy, insisting that players drop back to prevent fastbreak chances. The Pacers registered more fastbreak points than New York in every game this series. Frankly, that was always going to be the likely outcome; the margin is what was concerning. The Pacers scored 106 fastbreak points across the six games, while the Knicks put up just 48. 5. Tom Thibodeau's inconsistent use of the bench It wasn't until Game 3 of the series, after the Knicks were already desperate and down 0-2, that Thibodeau tweaked the rotation to match up better with Indiana. Thibodeau has always been a coach set in his ways, and his reluctance to go with fresher legs — against a team that sprints up and down the floor — was baffling. This is magnified further because guards Delon Wright and Landry Shamet are known to be plus-defenders, something New York sorely needed earlier in the series when Indiana's guards were scoring at will. Thibodeau did receive some credit when he eventually extended his rotation; it came far too late.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Pacers race into NBA Finals on fast breaks and sharing the wealth
Pacers race into NBA Finals on fast breaks and sharing the wealth Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals. Sports Pulse The Indiana Pacers are looking to make history. For only the second time in franchise history, the team has moved on to the NBA Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder await. The Pacers, who have never won an NBA title, dispatched the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night in six games behind their tempo, shot-making and improved defense. Forward Pascal Siakam dropped 31 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 and 13 assists. OPINION: Small-market Pacers party down in big way with NBA Finals trip MORE: Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference finals MVP after Pacers down Knicks The Knicks kept things close until a decisive third quarter in which the Pacers outscored New York by 11. Jalen Brunson, New York's top offensive threat, was the team's third-leading scorer with 19 points. Winners and losers from the closeout game of the Eastern Conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks: WINNERS The Pacers spread the wealth In Game 5 Thursday night, the only starter for the Pacers to score in double figures was forward Pascal Siakam, who recorded just 15 points. In Game 6 on Saturday night, it was a very different story. Seven Pacers — and all five starters — reached double figures, with Siakam leading the way with 31 points. Indiana whipped the ball around the floor, moving it far more efficiently than it did two nights previous, and the speed of the Pacers passes left the Knicks struggling to catch up. In Game 5, Indiana recorded just 20 assists, with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton getting just six. Saturday, the Pacers dished out 30 dimes, 13 of which were Haliburton's. Andrew Nembhard He had a rough series offensively, there's no question, but Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard took on the assignment of guarding Jalen Brunson with determination. With Aaron Nesmith slowed by his ankle injury, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle switched things up early in Game 6, putting Nembhard on Brunson. Nembhard responded by bodying Brunson, guarding him all 90 feet and making him feel constant pressure. In the first half, Brunson shot just 4-of-10 from the field for 10 points. Nembhard finished with six steals. Thomas Bryant He lost his minutes to fellow Pacers big man Tony Bradley, but a hip injury to Bradley thrust Bryant back into the rotation for Game 6. He responded with an energy-filled 11-point performance in just 13 minutes on the floor. The third quarter, when the Pacers pulled away from the Knicks, was when Bryant shined brightest, scoring eight of his 11 points in the period and draining a pair of massive 3s. LOSERS New York's ball security Give the Pacers plenty of credit for swarming and harassing ball handlers and jumping gaps to steal passes, but New York's careless approach with the ball cost the Knicks the game. New York committed 18 turnovers that led to 34 Pacers points. The Pacers turned those turnovers into quick offense, firing passes up the floor, often to players streaking wide open to the basket. New York's transition defense Whether it was cumulative fatigue from six games of trying to match the tempo of the Pacers, or whether it was a lack of attention to detail, the Knicks simply conceded far too many attempts for the Pacers in transition. This had been an issue throughout the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers are known for getting players sprinting down the floor for open layups, even after opponents convert field goals. The concern for New York was that it did not adjust to this over the course of the game. In fact, if anything, the Pacers leaned into their speed in the second half. No player benefitted from this more than Pascal Siakam, who all series long got easy layups after his teammates launched passes to him after he had leaked out; four of his first seven field goals were layups in transition. Overall, the Pacers outscored New York in transition, 25-10. New York's perimeter defense Inexcusably, the Knicks also took a lax approach to defending Indiana's perimeter shots, allowing multiple players to get uncontested looks and failing to close out. A lot of this happened when Knicks players — center Karl-Anthony Towns in particular — went under screens or lacked the effort and intensity to meet Indiana's shooters. The Pacers attacked this repeatedly, calling for pick-and-rolls when Towns was the secondary defender. Indiana shot 17-of-33 (51.5%) from beyond the arc. And, since the Knicks made only 9-of-32 (28.1%) shots from 3, that means the Pacers carried a 24-point advantage from deep.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Knicks vs Pacers Game 6 live updates: Time, TV, odds for NBA playoffs
Brunson scored a game-high 32 points in Game 5, and Karl-Anthony Towns overcame some foul trouble to produce a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds. The Knicks outscored the Pacers in every quarter on Thursday. Haliburton was limited to just eight points and six assists in 32 minutes of play. Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench and finished with 23 points and nine rebounds. It all adds up to a crucial Game 6. USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more throughout the game. Follow along. The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. How to watch New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Game 6 Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) TV: TNT, truTV TNT, truTV Stream: Sling TV, Max Watch Pacers vs. Knicks Game 6 on Sling Where is Game 6 between Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks? The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Indiana Pacers are favored to beat the New York Knicks in Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, May 31): Spread : Pacers (-3.5) : Pacers (-3.5) Moneyline : Pacers (-180); Knicks (+145) : Pacers (-180); Knicks (+145) Over/under: 221.5 The Indiana Pacers are favored to win the NBA Eastern Conference finals, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, May 31): Indiana Pacers -375 New York Knicks +275 Jeff Zillgitt: Pacers 111, Knicks 106 Pacers 111, Knicks 106 Scooby Axson: Pacers 117, Knicks 103 Pacers 117, Knicks 103 Cydney Henderson: Pacers 118, Knicks 113 Pacers 118, Knicks 113 James Williams: Pacers 110, Knicks 105 ESPN: Pacers have a 58% chance of winning According to ESPN's Matchup Predictor, the Indiana Pacers have a 58% chance of beating the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Bleacher Report: Pacers punch ticket to finals Andy Bailey writes: "With the Knicks' transition offense limited by fewer Pacer turnovers and Indiana a bit more locked in from three, the Pacers should be able to win at home and end this series. As is often the case when a series hits this point (one team having more than one chance to close things out), Indiana appeared to have let its foot off the gas a bit even before the game started. It's human nature to let your mind drift to the fact that you'll get another shot at home in 48 hours. But that won't happen again. Knowing Game 7 would be in New York will force the Pacers to focus and come out far more aggressively on Saturday. And after that win, Indiana will return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000." Draft Kings: Indiana Pacers Julian Edlow writes: I'll take Indy to go wire-to-wire again in Game 6 and advance to the NBA Finals. You can bet them on the double result (lead at halftime and win the game) at even money, and/or lay the -4 on the Pacers at DraftKings Sportsbook." The Indiana Pacers host the New York Knicks at 8 p.m. ET with coverage on TNT, truTV and streaming on Max. (Pacers lead series 3-2) All times Eastern; *-if necessary
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Caitlin Clark, Pat McAfee watch Pacers down Knicks. Here's all the celebs at Game 6
Caitlin Clark, Pat McAfee watch Pacers down Knicks. Here's all the celebs at Game 6 Show Caption Hide Caption Shaq gives thoughts on a possible Pacers-Thunder 'small market' Finals Shaq joins Sports Seriously to give his thoughts on if a Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals would be too 'small market' for the league. Sports Seriously The Eastern Conference finals shifted back to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Saturday after the New York Knicks staved off elimination and defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 at home. However, the Knicks were unable to avoid elimination in Game 6, despite the many famous faces in the crowd attempting to will New York to a Game 7. The Pacers defeated the Knicks, 125-108, in Game 6 to clinch the Eastern Conference finals series, 4-2. Indiana advances to its first NBA Finals since 2000, and will face the Oklahoma City Thunder for the league championship. A contingent of Knicks superfans also made the journey from New York to Indiana for Game 4, when the Pacers took a 3-1 series lead over the New York on Tuesday. To add insult to injury, Knicks fans Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee and Ben Stiller received a less than warm welcome at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. ESPN personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee gave the trio an expletive-filled lashing and encouraged Indiana fans to boo the stars. Hall of Fame singer-songwriter John Mellencamp was not a fan. (More on that below). Did Lee, Stiller and Chalamet travel to Indiana again? Did Caitlin Clark show up at Gainbridge Fieldhouse? We got you covered. USA TODAY Sports tracked all the celebrities at Game 6 in Indianapolis: Shop Indiana Pacers NBA Finals gear CELEBS IN NEW YORK: Spike Lee, Mariska Hargitay, more celebrate Knicks' Game 5 win vs. Pacers MORE: John Mellencamp 'embarrassed' by Pat McAfee calling out Knicks celebrities at Pacers game Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals brought out a variety of celebrities, ranging from former Knicks and Pacers players (Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Jalen Rose) to comedians (Mike Epps), actors (Timothée Chalamet) and world-class athletes (Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Anthony Richardson and Reggie Wayne). Tyrese Haliburton took a page out of Caitlin Clark's playbook. As the Pacers led 36-33 with 7:48 remaining in the first half, a wide-open Haliburton pulled up from beyond the arc without hesitation and nailed a 28-foot three pointer to take a six-point lead over the Knicks. No one was more excited than Clark, who pulled out Jalen Brunson's signature three-point celebration in response to the stellar play. Indiana Fever teammates Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull are in the building. Fresh off the Fever's 95-93 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Friday, Clark, Boston and Hull returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cheer on their NBA counterparts for Game 6. The Fever are simply returning the favor. Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers attended the Fever's opening night win over the Chicago Sky on May 17. The Fever are home for the weekend ahead of Tuesday's matchup against the Washington Mystics. Clark is nursing a left quad strain and will not play on Tuesday as she's expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks. Chalamet is not going to let a little heckling from Pat McAfee chase him away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The longtime Knicks fan returned to Indianapolis on Saturday and the Oscar nominated actor was accompanied by girlfriend Kylie Jenner for Game 6. The A-list couple have attended several NBA playoff games together this year, including Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday and Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Knicks and Boston Celtics. The Pacers fans gave Hall of Famer Reggie Miller his flowers during Game 6. The Pacers legend, who serves as the TV analyst for TNT's broadcast, got a standing ovation during a break from game play. The five-time NBA All-Star played his entire 18 year career in Indiana and led the Pacers to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and the 2000 NBA Finals. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is enjoying the NFL offseason. He was shown on the arena's Jumbotron proudly repping a Haliburton jersey and helped hype up the crowd during a timeout. Richardson was drafted out of Florida by Indianapolis with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He completed 126 of 264 passes for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 games (all starts) last season. ESPN personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee is back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cheer on his home team. McAfee opted for a suite for Game 6, compared to his courtside appearance that ruffled some feathers in Game 4. McAfee donned a t-shirt that read, "Overrate that," referring to Tyrese Haliburton being voted the most overrated player in the league in an anonymous player poll by The Athletic last month. McAfee is not the only former Colts player in the building. Super Bowl champion Reggie Wayne, who played for the Colts from 2001–2014, posed for a photo at halftime with Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose. Jalen Rose got a warm welcome at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Rose played for the Pacers from 1996–2002 and led Indiana to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and the 2000 NBA Finals alongside Reggie Miller. Comedian Mike Epps is repping for the Pacers courtside. Epps was born and raised in Indianapolis. The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) TV: TNT, truTV TNT, truTV Stream: Sling TV, Max Watch Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 on Sling Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and Indiana native John Mellencamp was not a fan of McAfee's rant. 'I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team," Mellencamp wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life." The champ is here. Walt "Clyde" Frazier, who led the Knicks to two titles in 1970 and 1973, the franchise's only NBA titles to date, is in attendance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The 80-year-old Hall of Famer serves as the Knicks' television analyst on MSG Networks, alongside Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Mike Breen. 'I've been relishing and living vicariously through these guys," Fraizer said ahead of the game. Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals brought out a variety of celebrities to Madison Square Garden, ranging from Knicks legends (Patrick Ewing, Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Bill Bradley) to comedians (Tracy Morgan), actors (Timothée Chalamet, Susie Essman, Ben Stiller, Mariska Hargitay and Spike Lee), musicians (Shaboozey, Idina Menzel and Joey Badass) and world-class athletes (Michael Strahan, Kevin Love and Henrik Lundqvist). Check out the full star-studded Game 5 lineup here. Obi Toppin is getting loose ahead of Game 6. He did so with an assist from a young fan. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA Finals bracket 2025: Pacers vs. Thunder schedule, times, TV
NBA Finals bracket 2025: Pacers vs. Thunder schedule, times, TV Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder knock off Knicks, will battle Thunder for NBA Finals crown USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down how the Indiana Pacers fought their way into the NBA Finals. Sports Pulse The NBA Finals are set following the Indiana Pacers' victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night. Pascal Siakam and the Pacers closed out the Eastern Conference finals series with a 125-108 victory in front of Caitlin Clark and the home fans at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Siakam was named the series MVP after producing 31 points, five rebounds and three blocks against New York. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 21 points and 13 assists in the victory. OPINION: Small-market Pacers party down in big way with NBA Finals trip MORE: Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference finals MVP after Pacers down Knicks It is just the second time that the Pacers have advanced to the NBA Finals. Indiana reached the finals in 2000. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder reached the finals after closing out their Western Conference finals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, 4-1. Here's what you need to know ahead of the championship series: NBA bracket: Playoff schedule, scores and results All times Eastern. *-if necessary 2025 NBA Finals schedule *-if necessary Game 1, June 5: Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET Game 2, June 8: Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8 p.m. Pacers at Thunder, ABC, 8 p.m. Game 3, June 11: Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m. Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m. Game 4, June 13: Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m. Thunder at Pacers, ABC, 8:30 p.m. Game 5, June 16: Pacers at Thunder, ABC*, 8:30 p.m. Pacers at Thunder, ABC*, 8:30 p.m. Game 6, June 19: Thunder at Pacers, ABC*, 8:30 p.m. Thunder at Pacers, ABC*, 8:30 p.m. Game 7, June 22: Pacers at Thunder, ABC*, 8 p.m. NBA playoff results: Conference finals Eastern Conference Pacers win series 4-2 Western Conference Thunder win series 4-1 NBA playoff results: Second round Eastern Conference (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers Pacers win series 4-1 (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks Knicks win series 4-2 Western Conference (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets Thunder win series 4-3 (6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors Timberwolves win series 4-1 NBA playoff results: First round Eastern Conference (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat Cavaliers win series 4-0 (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic Celtics win series 4-1 (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons Knicks win series 4-2 (4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks Pacers win series 4-1 Western Conference (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies Thunder win series 4-0 (2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors Warriors win series 4-3 (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves Timberwolves win series 4-1 (4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers Nuggets win series 4-3 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
