SUMMARY
- The Pacers managed to acquire a Game 6 victory to tie the series at 3-3.
- Tyrese Haliburton claims his teammates did a better job in rebounding and giving the Knicks new looks every time.
The Indiana Pacers couldn’t afford to lose Game 6 in front of 17,274 fans in attendance at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Despite having multiple lead exchanges during the initial half of the game, the Pacers eventually pulled away with a huge third quarter. One of the biggest parts of this game was that the Pacers restricted the New York Knicks from grabbing second-chance buckets, which was something that got the best of them in Game 5.
MYLES TURNER DETONATES 😱 pic.twitter.com/wSA5eZpnLF
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 18, 2024
While they withheld the Knicks from scoring in the paint, the Pacers also gave them a taste of their own medicine by scoring 62 points inside the box. This is the second-highest scoring night within the paint in Pacers history over the last 25 playoffs. If anything, Game 6 proved that the Knicks desperately needed their big men, who are currently injured. OG Anunoby will return if the Knicks make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Tyrese Haliburton believes the Pacers’ rebounding will be a huge factor in Game 7
After a poor first half, Jalen Brunson erupted during the final quarters of the game. He finished with 31 points, 5 assists, and a rebound while leading the league in playoff points scored. Brunson is arguably the hardest player to guard in the playoffs at the moment, but Tyrese Haliburton broke down what the Pacers had to, and need to do to stop the 27-year-old from his onslaught.
He said, “Jalen is relentless [at] getting downhill. He’s an unbelievable player. You got to show your hands as much as you can. Give them different looks when you can and finish possessions with rebounds because they really capitalize on offensive rebounds, kickouts, and things like that.” Brunson averages 33.7 points per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. The Knicks also shot significantly better from deep range than the Pacers.
The Pacers are determined to leave it all on the floor at MSG for Game 7
Pascal Siakam also played an important role in the Pacers’ Game 6 win tonight. However, neither team has won a road game this series making it even harder for Indiana to take on the Knicks at the Madison Square Garden. “They have a great crowd. [It’s going to] take a lot for us to come in there, just show character, [and] play together,” said Siakam. But back in February, the Pacer somehow achieved a 24-point victory at the Garden during the regular season.
This shows they can play in a hostile environment, especially against the Knicks who are known for having a very passionate fan base. “I believe in us. So, we just got to go out there, stay together, and give it all out on the floor. And we’ll live with the results,” Siakam added. There is a 50-50 chance that either team will make it out. But facing the Boston Celtics will be an extremely hard task to deal with.