On Sunday, May 19, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers met to determine who will play the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. With home court advantage and the return of OG Anunoby, the Knicks entered Madison Square Garden as a slight favorite, but those hopes were quickly destroyed.
Putting together one of the strongest offensive first halves in NBA history, the Pacers shot out to a 15-point lead. In the second half, the Knicks were able to cut the deficit down to single digits, but the play of T.J. McConnell, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard was enough to keep Indiana afloat as they cruised to a 21-point victory.
“It was just a great game overall,” Haliburton told ESPN’s Lisa Salters.
“[We haven’t] won one on the road all series, but we just found a way [to win].”
On the opposing sideline, the Knicks will not only look to rebound from the loss, but New York also lost OG Anunoby in the second half. Making matters worse, the team’s leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, also sustained a fracture in his hand.
While Brunson takes time to recover in the offseason, Indiana will meet the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series is set to begin Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. EST in Boston.
