Eastern Conference

(No. 4) Indiana Pacers def. (No. 3) New York Knicks (4-2)

The Indiana Pacers will be in the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, clinching the Eastern Conference title with a dominant 125–108 win over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday night. It marks Indiana’s first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000 and redemption after being swept by the Boston Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals.

Entering the playoffs as the East’s fourth seed—behind Boston, Cleveland, and New York—the Pacers weren’t widely viewed as title contenders. Lacking the superstar talent typically associated with Finals teams, Indiana instead relied on playing with relentless pace, deep bench production, and a series of comebacks during their postseason run. Their up-tempo offense and physical pressure eventually wore down the Knicks across six games.

Pascal Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP after leading the Pacers with 31 points and 5 rebounds in the series-clinching win. Siakam averaged 24.8 points while shooting over 50% from both the field and beyond the arc throughout the series. Tyrese Haliburton had a double-double in Game 6 with 21 points and 13 assists, with 11 of those points scored in the fourth quarter after a tough 8 point showing in Game 5.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. The Pacers will face the NBA’s best regular-season team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Indiana will be chasing its first NBA championship in franchise history.