Latest news with #PascalSiakam
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Thrilling Pacers run Knicks ragged, reach first NBA Finals in 25 years
INDIANAPOLIS — James Johnson, the Indiana Pacers' beloved enforcer, pulled his white pickup truck onto Delaware Street around midnight and waved out his window to acknowledge the jubilant swarms of gold-clad fans that lined the downtown sidewalks. Up the road, loud music boomed and horns honked through gridlock traffic, and the watering hole crowds overflowed onto packed sidewalks. A small pack of dejected New York Knicks fans found itself on the wrong end of good-natured heckling: 'Hicks in six!' This Midwestern ecstasy was 25 years in the making. The Pacers pulled away from the Knicks with a hot-shooting third quarter and rode a splendid effort from star forward Pascal Siakam to claim a 125-108 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Indiana, which entered the playoffs as the East's No. 4 seed, tore through the conference bracket with a 12-4 record just one year after being swept out of the East finals by the Boston Celtics. 'When it happened 25 years ago, I wasn't even 6 months old,' Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. 'I think this is a really special time for our organization and our fans. It's a special feeling to do it with this group. We got to the same spot last year and fell short. We worked our tails off to get back here. This is going to be something I remember for the rest of my life.' While the Oklahoma City Thunder will be heavily favored in the Finals, which begin Thursday, the Pacers are charmed underdogs who rebounded from an injury-riddled start to the regular season and executed three incredible late-game comebacks in the postseason. Indiana kept its poise throughout the tense, series-clinching win over New York, in which neither team led by more than six points in the first half. Siakam proved to be the difference-maker, earning Eastern Conference finals MVP honors after finishing with a game-high 31 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. The three-time all-star forward, who won a championship with the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors before being dealt to the Pacers in January 2024, made a three-pointer to open the second-half scoring. The Pacers never looked back, hitting seven three-pointers in the period to open a double-digit lead they never relinquished. 'I was super excited about coming [to Indiana in the trade] because of the pace,' Siakam said. 'It fits who I am as a person and the way I play. We have a lot of underdogs. That's my style. I like that. That's been me my whole life. We're resilient. We won't stop. Even after bad games, we're still going to be here, waking up with our head up and going to work. That's what you want from a team.' Haliburton's savvy playmaking and guard Andrew Nembhard's fierce defense on Knicks star Jalen Brunson helped Indiana stave off several rally attempts down the stretch. Haliburton didn't score in the first quarter, but he found his groove as the game unfolded to post 21 points, 13 assists and six rebounds. In the fourth quarter, he hit a pair of runners in the lane to keep the Knicks at bay. The hard-nosed Nembhard, who was an unheralded second-round pick in 2022, tallied 14 points, eight assists and six steals. The Knicks faced an uphill battle in the series after blowing a 14-point lead in the final three minutes of Game 1, and they sputtered to the finish line following a valiant Game 5 win at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. New York was undone by its 18 turnovers — which Indiana converted into 34 points — and its shaky transition defense. Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in Game 6, while Brunson managed 19 points on 8-for-18 shooting. 'It hurts to not be able to bring an opportunity for a championship to the city,' Towns said. 'The plan now is to put ourselves in this position again and succeed next time.' The Pacers, who have been the East's fastest team in the playoffs, ran the Knicks off the court in the second half of the series clincher. Siakam leaked out into the open court for backbreaking buckets, and Haliburton provided the exclamation point by setting up Obi Toppin for a lob dunk with less than three minutes to play. 'Imagine you normally set the treadmill to seven miles an hour,' said a rival assistant coach, whose team was eliminated from the playoffs by Indiana. 'Playing the Pacers is like trying to run at nine miles an hour.' The home crowd roared its approval throughout Game 6, with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark leading the cheers from a courtside seat. After the final buzzer, Haliburton waved for his father, John, to join the festivities. John Haliburton, who was briefly banished from attending Pacers games for taunting Giannis Antetokounmpo following Indiana's first-round series victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, made his way to the court like a conquering hero, accepting handshakes and hugs from fans along the way. Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a February 2022 trade, basked in the excitement and posed for photographs with rapper Rob 49, who name-checked the Pacers star in his song 'What the Helly.' As Pacers legends Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose were mobbed by selfie seekers, 10-year veteran center Myles Turner drew a loud ovation when he noted during a postgame interview that he had spent 'one-third of my life' in the Hoosier State. 'Nothing but joy,' Turner said. 'Pure excitement and validation. The emotions at this time of year are underrated. You don't sleep. You lose hair. You can't explain that if you've never been here before.' Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle brought the house down by uttering a popular local motto to cap the postgame trophy presentation: 'In 49 states, it's just basketball. But this is Indiana.' Across many of those other 49 states, there will probably be some hand-wringing about a Finals matchup that defies the NBA's norm. The small-market Thunder and Pacers both hail from flyover country, and they are hardly traditional powers. The Thunder franchise hasn't won a championship since 1979 when it was still known as the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Pacers haven't won since joining the NBA from the rival American Basketball Association in 1976. Both teams were distant afterthoughts as recently as the 2021-22 season, when the Thunder won 24 games and the Pacers won 25. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly crowned MVP, and Haliburton, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time all-star, have since emerged as exquisite playmakers, but they're not nearly as famous as old guard icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Top-heavy super teams tend to attract casual fans, but Oklahoma City and Indiana win with deep casts of hardworking role players who are more appealing to purists. Even so, the Thunder and Pacers were clearly the most deserving representatives from their respective conferences. Oklahoma City went 12-4 through the West bracket, sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, surviving seven games with Nikola Jokic and the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets in the second round, and then making light work of Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals. Indiana dispatched Antetokounmpo's Bucks as an appetizer and stunned the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round before outlasting the Knicks. Now, one of these two party-crashers — the Thunder or the Pacers — is set to become the NBA's seventh different champion in the past seven seasons. 'This is no time to be popping champagne,' Carlisle said, while the celebrations outside the arena were still just getting started. 'We understand the magnitude of the opponent. Oklahoma City has been dominant all season long, with capital letters in the word DOMINANT. Defensively, they're historically great. I think it has the makings of a great series.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NBA／一票之差擊敗哈利伯頓 席亞康勇奪東區冠軍賽MVP
溜馬在今天主場關門戰中展現問鼎總冠軍的氣勢，下半場直接轟垮尼克防線，以4勝2敗淘汰對手，睽違25年再次闖進總冠軍賽。 此戰席亞康（Pascal Siakam）18投10中，繳出31分5籃板3助攻3阻攻的全方位數據，加上系列賽的穩定發揮，以1票之差擊敗隊友哈利伯頓（Tyrese Haliburton），榮獲東區冠軍賽MVP。 PASCAL SIAKAM IS THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS MVP!!!He receives the Larry Bird Trophy 🤩 — NBA (@NBA) 2025年6月1日 席亞康在東區冠軍賽6場比賽場均可拿下24.8分5籃板3.5助攻1.3抄截0.7阻攻，投籃命中率達52%，三分球命中率也有50%的高水準。其中3場拿到至少30分，但另外3場則都低於20分。 Pascal Siakam TOOK OVER in the East Finals.🔥 24.8 points per game🔥 5.0 rebounds per game🔥 52.4% from the floor🔥 ECF MVPThe @Pacers are the 2024-25 East Champions! — NBA (@NBA) 2025年6月1日 席亞康是從溜馬傳奇射手米勒手上接過名為「大鳥柏德（Larry Bird Trophy）」的東區冠軍賽MVP獎盃，這兩人和溜馬有著深厚淵源。在25年前溜馬隊史首度打進總冠軍賽的過程中，柏德正是當時的總教練。 Pascal Siakam received five of the nine votes for Eastern Conference Finals MVP from a media panel covering the series. Tyrese Haliburton received the other four votes. — NBA Communications (@NBAPR) 2025年6月1日 Siakam has been named Eastern Conference Finals MVP and the recipient of the Larry Bird Trophy ⭐️ — Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) 2025年6月1日 "YEAH, THOMAS. YEAHHHH!"Pascal Siakam shouted out Thomas Bryant for his MASSIVE impact off the bench in the @Pacers Finals-clinching win 👏💯 — NBA (@NBA) 2025年6月1日 更多udn報導 中職／魔鷹月底小額刷富邦 2數據追平聯盟史上洋將單月紀錄 MLB／實戰投打29球+4打席累了 大谷翔平睡得像寶寶驚醒瞬間全都錄 NBA／同是60勝賽季的西區第一 SGA可望超越KD時代創造最強雷霆 MLB／大谷翔平、賈吉誰更強？退役三神獸給出答案
USA Today
3 hours 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 42
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Indiana Pacers beat New York Knicks to set up NBA Finals clash with OKC
THE INDIANA PACERS, fuelled by 31 points from Pascal Siakam and a 21-point double-double from Tyrese Haliburton, beat the New York Knicks 125-108 on Saturday to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. The Pacers used a big third quarter to break open a close game and kept the pressure on in the fourth period to win the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 4-2. They reached the championship series for the second time in franchise history, and will be chasing their first title when the Finals open in Oklahoma City on Thursday. Advertisement Haliburton said the series triumph was especially sweet after the Pacers were swept in the conference finals last season by eventual champions Boston. He was already looking ahead to the formidable challenge of the Thunder, who led the league with 68 regular season wins and saw star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named Most Valuable Player. New York had fended off elimination with a dominant defensive display in game five, but couldn't send the series to a decisive game seven. Instead the Knicks, who earned their two NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, remain in search of their first trip to the Finals since 1999. Haliburton shook off early shooting struggles to finish with 21, adding 13 assists to key an offensive effort that saw seven Pacers players score in double figures. That included 18 off the bench from Obi Toppin and 11 from backup Thomas Bryant as the Pacers reserves outscored the Knicks reserves 38-20. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds and Jalen Brunson scored 19 points and handed out seven assists. – © AFP 2025
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers knock out New York Knicks in Eastern Conference finals
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam lifting the Larry Bird Trophy after recording 31 points and three blocked shots in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. It was his third 30-point outing of the series, which the Pacers won 4-2 after a 125-108 triumph at Gainbridge Fieldhous in Indianapolis on May 31. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Indianapolis – Pascal Siakam already owns one National Basketball Association (NBA) championship ring and he now has a chance to win another. Siakam was the biggest hero as the Indiana Pacers earned their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000 with a solid 125-108 victory over the visiting New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 31 in Indianapolis. Siakam recorded 31 points and three blocked shots to finish off a stellar series in which he was named Most Valuable Player of the series. He was 10-of-18 shooting while notching his third 30-point outing of the series. 'So deserving,' Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said of Siakam after the 4-2 series win. 'The guy has been a rock of consistency all year.' Indiana will face Western Conference champions the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Game 1 is on June 5 in Oklahoma City. Siakam, a nine-year veteran, won a title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. Now he will be the guy fielding questions from his teammates about what to expect. 'That year was my third year, I was this young kid. I thought it was going to be easy (to get back),' Siakam said. 'I appreciate it even more now because I know how hard it is to get here.' Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points, 13 assists and three steals for fourth-seeded Indiana. Obi Toppin added 18 points off the bench and Andrew Nembhard had 14 points and six steals for the Pacers. 'It's a special feeling to do it with this group,' Haliburton said. 'We got to the same spot last year and we fell short. We worked our tails off to get back here.' O.G. Anunoby scored 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds for third-seeded New York. Jalen Brunson had 19 points and seven assists and Mikal Bridges had 15 points for the Knicks. Indiana had a 25-10 edge on fastbreak points to finish the series with a dominating advantage 106-48 in that category. New York committed 18 turnovers in the finale, including five apiece by Brunson and Bridges. 'I saw a lot of breakaways on their part,' Brunson said. 'It was the reason why they would extend the lead throughout the series. It's something I have to be able to control... It's terrible on my part.' The Pacers shot 54.1 per cent from the field, including a solid 17 of 33 from three-point range (51.5 per cent). Myles Turner and reserve Thomas Bryant had 11 points apiece and Aaron Nesmith added 10 for the Pacers. New York made 47.7 per cent of their shots and were nine of 32 (28.1 per cent) from behind the arc. Landry Shamet had 12 points on four treys off the bench. It was the first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals for the Knicks since 2000 when they also lost to the Pacers. 'I'm proud of what these guys did,' Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. 'There was a lot that we had to get through and I thought we handled that part well. 'The play-offs are hard-fought and these games can go either way. There's the disappointment of falling short of the ultimate goal but still proud of what we accomplished.' REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
