The Indiana Pacers have reached their first NBA Finals in 25 years after defeating the New York Knicks 4-2 in the conference finals. The Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the upcoming series, which begins Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton was awarded the Larry Bird Trophy as Eastern Conference finals MVP after scoring 21 points and recording 13 assists in Game 6. Teammate Pascal Siakam won the award with 31 points, narrowly beating out Haliburton for the honor.
“We’re part of something special,” said Haliburton. “We’ve been through a lot together and we’re grateful to be here.”
Siakam echoed Haliburton’s sentiment, saying that winning an NBA championship is “an amazing opportunity” and that he’s grateful to have another chance at it after losing in his third year.
The Pacers’ improbable playoff run began with a strong finish to the regular season. After starting 10-17, they went on a 34-14 tear before entering the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the East.
Their success was marked by thrilling comebacks and clutch play, including three instances where they trailed by eight points with less than one minute remaining to win the game. The team’s relentless offense, deep bench, and strong defense have been key factors in their championship run.
“This group has been special,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “We don’t take it for granted at all.”
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45413751/pacers-race-knicks-reach-first-nba-finals-25-years