It was the returning OG Anunoby who started the hostilities by hitting two baskets including a 3-pointer in the first moments of the game. But the Knicks were far from imagining what would follow, with a terrible cold snap on MSG, resulting in unchallenged domination by the Pacers!
It was thus with a 16-4 that Rick Carlisle's men took off at the end of the first quarter, with 14 points including four 3-point baskets for Tyrese Haliburton alone!
Trailing by 15 points (24-39), the New Yorkers were not at the end of their troubles since Indiana continued its destructive enterprise, carried by its “second unit” and the effectiveness of the McConnell-Sheppard-Jackson trio to bring the score to 52-30 on a dunk from Isaiah Jackson!
But the basketball Mecca never stays silent for long, wisely biding his time to once again play his role as sixth man, as when the Knicks miraculously returned to -15 at the end of the first half thanks to a 2 +1 from Jalen Brunson and a floater from Donte DiVincenzo (55-70).
The Pacers (almost) did not tremble
Tom Thibodeau's troops then tried to ignite the meeting to try to take these Pacers from dream to nightmare. The mission almost worked, especially when the locals attacked the restart with a 12-3 with the Brunson-DiVincenzo-Hart trio again in tune (67-73). Everything almost had to be done again for Indiana, which held on before moving forward, relying on Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith to revive, until the 7-0 initiated by the 3-pointer from Myles Turner which once again plunged the New York lair into silence (70-84).
Thanks to the cunning of TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith was able to drive the point home by making two baskets in a row in five seconds with a 2+1 as a bonus. Tyrese Haliburton's 3-pointer until the layup at the last second of the third quarter ended the hopes of a hold-up for the Knicks, relegated to 17 lengths with 12 minutes remaining (84-101 ).
There was a mini start when Alec Burks brought his team to -13 thanks to two baskets in a row (99-112), but Indiana managed until the end without being afraid, relying on it seriously and the application of Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and an Andrew Nembhard concentrated until the end to allow the Pacers to win 130-109. See you in Boston on Tuesday evening for Game 1 of the conference finals!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Tyrese Haliburton, a leader's response. The leader took his responsibilities in Game 7 by putting his team on his shoulders at the end of the first quarter to create the first gap of the match with big 3-point arrows from the wing. He was again present when the Knicks tried to reduce the gap approaching the last act with a new 3-pointer which clearly cut the legs of the locals.
– A dream first half for Indiana. The Pacers will have had the Knicks smothered, relying in particular on an exceptional first half, with an impressive 8/11 at 3-points, an attack which performed at full speed, between the leaders Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, the lieutenants and the role players. There was also a yellow wall on defense which generated its share of “easy” baskets. Coming out with such a performance in Game 7 in the hottest atmosphere in the NBA, it had to be done!
– Jalen Brunson’s turn to get injured… The Knicks will not have been spared from injuries at the end of the season. In addition to Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic, the New Yorkers lost Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby then Josh Hart. Even if the last two played (or attempted to play…) in Game 7, this time it was Jalen Brunson, in great difficulty throughout the match, who ended up returning to the locker room prematurely at the end of the third quarter. -time, after a foul on Tyrese Haliburton on the counter-attack. The verdict was final, the leader having suffered a broken left hand.
– A standing ovation for Josh Hart. This will be the image that will remain of this Game 7 on the New York side. Victim of an abdominal tear during the following match, the Knicks warrior did not see himself letting go of his teammates for this Game 7, true to his reputation. Even if he was not at 100% of his abilities, Tom Thibodeau's handyman gave everything until conceding a 6th personal foul in the final moments of the match. The audience at Madison Square Garden then rose to their feet to accompany his exit with a “standing ovation”. Donte DiVincenzo and others were then given a standing ovation upon their exit… A small consolation for this incredible audience who will have been deprived of a suspenseful Game 7, 24 years after the last appearance of the Knicks in the conference final.
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
