The Pacers traded for Pascal Siakam with their eyes toward their playoff future. That future arrived Friday in a must-win Game 6.
Pascal Siakam gives the @Pacers a huge boost in Game 6 with 25 PTS to force Game 7 in New York!
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2024
25 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL | 52.4 FG%#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/8APtheGWQ9
Siakam, who won a title with Toronto in 2019, cost the Pacers three first-round picks in a midseason trade, but it was well worth it after “Spicy P” delivered 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Indiana’s 116-103 win, forcing a Game 7 on Sunday in New York.
He was highly efficient in the win, shooting 11-of-21 from the field. Siakam did all his damage in the paint, finding holes in the Knicks defense with free-throw line jumpers and drives to the rim.
Pascal Siakam hits the tough turnaround for 15 PTS!
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2024
Pacers looking to force a Game 7 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/JxqTwGGh8d
Indiana took control of the game with a big run late in the second quarter, and the Knicks never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
The Knicks didn’t just lose the game Friday. They lost another player in a season full of injuries. Josh Hart left with an apparent abdominal injury, and after returning to the game, he headed to the locker room early in the fourth quarter. For Hart, who played every minute of four different playoff games this postseason, it might be quite serious.
Josh Hart asked Thibs to be subbed out of game after attempting to play through apparent injury
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 18, 2024
He returned to the game minutes later pic.twitter.com/Lxfv6SbFxG
Indiana had six players score in double figures and emphatically won the rebounding battle, 47-35. The team with the most rebounds has won every game of this series, as has the home team.
But it’s Pacers vs. Knicks. Based on history, this series was always going to be a war, and it was always heading to a seventh game. It’s just a shame the game is on ABC. The Madison Square Garden should get to boo TNT broadcaster Reggie Miller one more time.
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