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The Indiana Pacers shot a NBA playoff record 67.1% from the field in Game 7 Sunday to crush the hopes of the second-seeded New York Knicks, 130-109, in New York.
The Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics at 8 tonight (ESPN) in the Boston Garden.
The Knicks injury concerns collapsed on them in their most pivotal game.
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Keys to Success: Indiana Pacers
The major narrative in this game will be the all-time great offensive performance by the Pacers. They saw all of their starters score 17 or more points, as they fired on all cylinders from the opening tip. Their 39-point first quarter set the tone, putting the Knicks in an early 12-point deficit.
Any time the Knicks tried to keep the game competitive, the Pacers fought back even harder.
Indiana’s 76.3% shooting percentage at halftime was the highest mark since 1997. It’s statistically the most impressive effort in any playoff game, and in a Game 7 no less.
All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 26 points and six 3s. He continues to run this historically stout offense deeper in the playoffs.
On the defensive front, center Myles Turner played a major role in the Knicks’ scoring a mere 38 points in the paint. He posted four blocks in addition to an efficient 17 points. Turner gives the Pacers the modern big-man presence needed to run their style of play to perfection.
Why They Fell Short: New York Knicks
Injuries to Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic will haunt this team as it wonders what if? With three of their key players out for the series, the Knicks had to compromise and play their role players major minutes.
Point guard Miles McBride shot just 4-of-14 and failed to eclipse double digits despite playing 40 minutes.
Star point guard Jalen Brunson, who led the postseason in scoring, struggled to find the bottom of the net while playing with a lingering sore foot. He finished his postseason with 17 points before leaving the game with a fractured hand in the fourth quarter.
Josh Hart and OG Anunoby also battled injuries in Game 7, further adding to New York’s depth issues.
The Knicks were simply too injured to keep up with the Pacers during their historic game.
Up Next
The Pacers will face the 64-win Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. If they upset the Celtics, it will be their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
