Pascal Siakam, Pacers Doom Knicks to 0-2 Deficit

New York Knicks fans waited a quarter-century for a return to the Eastern Conference Finals. They'll have to be a little more patient to a home win in the round.

Doomed by dominance from Pascal Siakam, the Knicks dropped a 114-109 decision to the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of national semifinal round. New York thus trails 2-0 in the best-of-seven set as it shifts to Indianapolis.

Siakam scored 39 points on a wayward shooting for Tyrese Haliburton, who nonetheless posted a 14-point, 11-assists double-double. The Pacers improved to 6-1 in road games this season while the Knicks fell to 3-5 under Madison Square Garden's iconic roof.

Knicks captain and point guard Jalen Brunson had a double-double of his own with 36 points and 11 assists but his attempt to lead New York back from a late deficit fell short at the top of the key.

The most attention on the Knicks ledgers will no doubt turn to Karl-Anthony Towns' inactivity, as the All-Star center played a minute less than Mitchell Robinson while putting up 20 points and seven rebounds. Towns, however, was a team-worst minus-20 amidst his strong conventional tallies while Robinson posted nine boards, three blocks, and a plus-six in 29 minutes of relief.

The Knicks will look to get on the board over the holiday weekend, as Game 3 will be staged on Sunday night (8 p.m. ET, TNT).