It’s been a long time coming in Indiana – like, really long. For 25 years, Pacers fans have watched other teams hoist trophies while they clung to memories of Reggie Miller hitting daggers. Since that 2000 Finals loss to Shaq and Kobe, the blue-and-gold have gone through more rebuilds than a fixer-upper reality show.

But now, after a playoff run that’s felt like one long adrenaline shot, they’re headed back to the NBA Finals.

A Night That Flipped the Franchise

Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse had that nervous energy you only get when a season could swing in either direction. New York came in scrapping, still carrying momentum from their Game 5 win at Madison Square Garden. Karl-Anthony Towns was aggressive from the jump, and OG Anunoby looked locked in on both ends, trying to set an early tone. It was clear the Knicks weren’t ready to go quietly.

But Indiana wasn’t rattled. They’ve been in those moments before this postseason, and they weren’t about to let the noise or the pressure shake them at home. Pascal Siakam — who some folks questioned when the Pacers traded for him — looked every bit like the battle-tested playoff vet they needed. He dropped in 16 hard-earned first-half points, using his footwork, his strength, and just plain old experience to keep Indy’s offense humming.

On the perimeter, Tyrese Haliburton was doing Haliburton things — weaving through defenders, feeding teammates, and keeping the tempo just fast enough to make the Knicks uncomfortable. The Pacers led by four at halftime, but it felt like they were right on the edge of blowing things open.

Second-Half Surge

And sure enough, as soon as the third quarter started, the lid came off. Indiana ripped off a 9–0 run to start the half, forcing Thibodeau into a timeout before most fans had even sat down with their snacks. That timeout didn’t do much to stop the bleeding. Indy’s formula was simple: Haliburton pushed, wings ran the floor, and Myles Turner set sturdy screens that opened up everything. Siakam kept finding soft spots in the mid-post.

New York’s rotations got slower. Their legs looked heavier. And the decibels in the Fieldhouse just kept climbing.

By the time the dust settled, Indiana had put up 67 second-half points, hitting over 54% from the field and a ridiculous 51.5% from three (17-for-33). They didn’t force it — the ball moved, guys trusted the extra pass, and seven different players ended up in double figures.

Running the Knicks Out of the Gym

If there was one thing that defined this whole series, it was how fast Indiana played — and not just in the nerdy, analytical sense. We're talking straight-up, pedal-down, Indy 500-style tempo.

From tip to final buzzer, Tyrese Haliburton treated every defensive rebound like a race to the other end. The moment the ball was in his hands, he was pushing. And it wasn’t just him. Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin were practically teleporting down the court. There were a few possessions where the Pacers had scored before the broadcast camera even caught up.

Meanwhile, the Knicks just couldn’t hold onto the ball. They gave it away 18 times, which turned into 34 easy points for the Pacers. Whenever you're handing your opponent a third of their offense on a silver platter, it's a recipe for disaster. And what made it sting even more for New York was that Jalen Brunson — their rock all postseason — was the one who coughed it up five times.

It wasn’t just the giveaways, though. New York had other cracks in the armor. Mitchell Robinson was a huge part of New York’s Game 5 win — anchoring the paint, protecting the rim, and giving the Knicks some much-needed physicality inside. But Game 6 unraveled fast for him. He picked up five fouls in the first quarter alone, setting a new franchise record for the most in any single quarter.

What had been a strength just two nights earlier became a glaring weakness, and Indiana took full advantage. That opened the door for Siakam to go to work in the paint, spinning and muscling his way to high-percentage looks. And while Karl-Anthony Towns stretched the floor offensively, his tendency to drift out to the perimeter gave Indy too many free runs at the rim.

OG Anunoby did his part — 24 points, physical defense, hustle plays — but the Knicks needed more than flashes. They needed consistency, and across six games, they just couldn’t sustain it long enough to steal back control. They had moments. They had mini-runs. But against a team as relentless as Indiana, moments weren’t going to cut it.

Siakam and Haliburton: Built for the Moment

Pascal Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP, but just barely — he edged out Haliburton by one media vote. It was a toss-up, but you can’t argue with what Siakam did across the series. He averaged 24.8 points on 52% shooting and hit 50% from deep, dropping 30+ in three of Indy’s four wins. And in the Game 6 clincher, he came through again with 31 points, five boards, and three assists.

Right alongside him was Haliburton, running the show and playing the kind of floor general basketball that doesn’t always show up in the box score — though he still had the numbers. In Game 6, he went for 21 points, six rebounds, and 13 assists, and over the course of the series, he led all postseason players with 9.8 assists per game.

But more than stats, it was the way he controlled pace, trusted his teammates, and always seemed to know when to push, when to shoot, and when to let the hot hand stay hot.

Their partnership has turned Indiana’s offense into a problem. It’s not just that Siakam and Haliburton are individually great — it’s that they complement each other perfectly. Siakam draws defenders into the post, Haliburton drags them out with range and tempo, and when they’re both cooking, the defense has no good answers.

Thunder on the Horizon

Standing in the way of Indiana’s first-ever NBA championship is a team that’s been turning heads all year: the Oklahoma City Thunder. They won 68 games, led the league in defense, and have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the newly crowned MVP — playing the best ball of his life. They’re young, deep, confident, and tough as nails.

These two squads already saw each other twice during the regular season, and it wasn’t pretty for Indy. The Thunder swept the series, including a Boxing Day beatdown where SGA dropped 45 points and Haliburton struggled to a 2-for-11 night. That was also during a stretch where OKC steamrolled Eastern Conference teams, finishing 29-1 against them on the year — the best cross-conference record in league history. So yeah, this isn’t going to be easy.

But that’s regular season stuff. The playoffs are a whole different animal — matchups matter more, benches shrink, and experience starts to weigh heavier.

OKC’s defense is elite, especially on the perimeter with Lu Dort, and Chet Holmgren has given them real rim protection. But Siakam is going to test Holmgren’s strength and physicality inside, and Myles Turner is going to drag OKC’s bigs out to the arc, forcing them to cover ground they don’t always want to cover. Meanwhile, Haliburton vs. SGA might be the best guard matchup we’ve had in a Finals in years — both All-NBA guys, both floor generals, both capable of taking over games.

From Waiting to Winning

For Indiana, this wasn’t just about finally punching a ticket back to the Finals — it was about validating everything they’ve been building toward. Carlisle made it clear: no champagne showers yet. There’s still work to do.

But there’s no denying that Saturday night felt like a breakthrough. This Pacers team has been defined by ball movement, effort, and belief, and they stuck to that identity even when the moment got big.

The Knicks head home with bruises, sure, but they’re not broken. For the second year in a row, they went deep into the postseason, and this time they beat Boston along the way. Brunson continues to cement himself as one of the best guards in the league, and the foundation is there for another run. There’s disappointment — there should be — but also plenty to build on.

And now, it’s on to the Finals. Pacers vs. Thunder. Two teams that weren’t supposed to be here quite this soon. Two teams that bet on youth, pace, and continuity. It’s not the glitziest matchup, but it might just be the most fun.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.