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The Indiana Pacers are one win away from heading to the NBA Finals.
The Pacers took Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 130-131, over the New York Knicks to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 10 in the second quarter, as the Pacers could not miss throughout the first half. New York was able to come back, though, and lead, 64-63 with just over a minute to go, but Indiana ended the first half on a 6-0 run.
That run continued into the second half, as the Pacers went up a dozen points less than three minutes into the third quarter. But the Knicks kept within striking distance – after all, they did come back from 20 points down for a third time in these playoffs just two days ago.
But just like they did in the first and second quarters, the Pacers ended the third on a 12-5 run (the first was a 9-4 stretch). And this, too, extended into the fourth. With a 9-5 run to start the final frame, Indiana got out to a 15-point lead, their largest of the night.
But the Knicks, again, weren’t dead – they went on a 10-2 run to cut their deficit to six with just under five minutes to go. But they could not find the magic this time around, and former Knick Obi Toppin hit the dagger with a three-pointer to put Indiana up 10 with just over 45 seconds to go.
Tyrese Haliburton went off for a triple-double, scoring 32 points, handing out 15 assists, and grabbing a dozen rebounds – all without committing a single turnover. Pascal Siakam added 30 points, while Benedict Mathurin had 20 off the bench.
Jalen Brunson (31), Karl-Anthony Towns (24), and OG Anunoby (22) combined for 77 of the Knicks’ 121 points. The Knicks also lost the turnover battle, 17-11.
The bad news is the Knicks will now have to win three games in a row in order to keep their season alive. The good news, though, is that quest will begin on their own home court on Thursday night. However, it was two losses at Madison Square Garden to open up this series that have put them in this position in the first place.
Game 5 is in New York on Thursday night.
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