It’s official — for the first time, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will face off in the NBA Finals. The Pacers punched their ticket to the championship round by defeating the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Pascal Siakam was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after scoring 31 points, while Tyrese Haliburton delivered a strong second-half performance with 21 points to help close out the series.
Although the game remained competitive through the first quarter, the Knicks ultimately allowed the momentum to slip away, and Indiana took full control down the stretch. The Knicks couldn’t keep up. Indiana’s up-tempo offense wore them down as the Pacers poured on points in bunches. Tyrese Haliburton added 21, Pascal Siakam led with 31, Myles Turner chipped in 11, Andrew Nembhard delivered 14, and Obi Toppin came off the bench and added 18. Every key contributor made their presence felt.
The Knicks had no answer defensively and couldn’t slow the momentum. It’s been clear throughout the series and across both conference finals that the Thunder and Pacers have been the better teams. Both squads showcased deeper rotations, consistent bench support, and stronger execution around their star players. In Game 6, Indiana’s second-half surge overwhelmed New York, gradually pulling away and pushing the game out of reach.
The Knicks aren’t built to erase big deficits against a team like the Pacers. They had some success doing it against the Celtics earlier in the playoffs, but Indiana’s pace and offensive rhythm are on another level. It’s wild to see how far things have come — just last year, the Pacers only managed one win in the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. They’re headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1999–2000 season. That was the Reggie Miller era when they faced off against Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers. It brings back many memories from those Pacers’ “Glory Days,” but now a new chapter begins. And they’ve got a serious challenge ahead of them — the Oklahoma City Thunder are waiting.
Tyrese Haliburton has officially arrived. His performance throughout the playoffs, especially in this series against the Knicks, has solidified him as a top-10 player in the NBA. How he controlled the pace and took over in the second half of Game 6 shows exactly why he’s the engine of this Pacers team.
Siakam deserves his flowers, too. If Indiana pulls this off and he gets another ring, his Hall of Fame résumé receives a serious boost. He already won one with the Raptors alongside Kawhi Leonard, and now he can win another with Haliburton leading the charge. This postseason run has been huge for his legacy.
As for the “small market” narrative, this isn’t new. We’ve seen small-market NBA Finals before. Think Cleveland vs. San Antonio in 2007 or even Phoenix vs. Milwaukee a few years back. At the same time, Miami is a storied franchise and is technically considered a small market.
So don’t let the lack of big-city glamour fool you. There’s going to be some high-level basketball in this series. It will be a fascinating NBA Finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Some fans might tune in to see if OKC can complete the journey, and others might want to see Indiana continue their underdog run. Either way, if you’re a fan of team basketball, fast-paced play, and rising stars taking center stage, this is the Finals for you.
The Knicks, meanwhile, have some tough decisions ahead. They’ll need to reassess their roster, and there’s growing speculation that Karl-Anthony Towns might be moved. Undoubtedly, he’s a gifted scorer, but his defensive limitations were exposed in this series. But for now, the moment belongs to Indiana. They’re returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Next up: the Oklahoma City Thunder. Game on.
