Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle urged his team to play with more physicality and determination on Friday night. The team responded with one of their most motivated performances of the season.
Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Myles Turner contributed 17 points and eight rebounds. The Pacers defeated the New York Knicks 116-103, tying the Eastern Conference semifinals at 3-3.
The crucial Game 7 will take place Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
“I thought Game 5 was our least aggressive game in the playoffs,” Carlisle said. “We played hard tonight, which was a must. They came out really hard tonight, which was evident, but we moved the ball better, we got more rebounds and that’s obviously been a big part of this series.”
Indiana had two days to figure out how to handle the Knicks’ hustle and rebounding, which led to Tuesday’s 30-point blowout in Game 5 and nearly eliminated the Pacers.
This time, the Pacers led in rebounding 47-35 and had a slight edge in offensive rebounds at 14-13. They also had balanced scoring, which spread out the Knicks’ defense.
Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each scored 15 points, with Nembhard adding six rebounds and six assists. Haliburton contributed nine assists as Indiana maintained its perfect 6-0 postseason home record, energized by a lively sellout crowd.
“We knew they were going to play hard coming off the last game, and that’s what it’s about,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’re just going to have to play a lot better.”
Even Jalen Brunson, the All-Star and top scorer in the postseason, had challenges. He scored 31 points and had five assists, shooting 11 of 26 from the field, but missed his final 11 shots in the first half.
Deuce McBride scored 20 points, and Donte DiVincenzo added 17, but the Knicks faced another setback when Josh Hart left in the fourth quarter with abdominal soreness.
“I expect him to play,” Brunson said about Hart. “It’s Game 7.” The positive news for the Knicks is they won’t return to Indiana, where they’ve lost nine straight playoff games.
Instead, they’ll play at the Garden against a team with many players experiencing their first playoff appearances or taking on key roles for the first time in the postseason.
