The Indiana Pacers are one win away from an NBA Finals berth and can clinch the Eastern Conference championship with victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks vs Pacers Game 5 Preview
The last time the Pacers advanced to the championship in 2000, they beat the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.
25 years later, Indiana is bidding to emulate that feat but this time around it could be in just five if Rick Carlisle’s side get over the line in front on Thursday at MSG.
The Pacers and Knicks played out a fierce rivalry through the 1990s, meeting six times in the playoffs from ’93 to 2000 – before renewing affairs in 2013 when Indiana won in six.
In Game 4, Pacers leader Tyrese Haliburton recorded a historic triple-double of 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds without committing a turnover.
The 25-year-old became the first player in playoff history to put up at least 30 points, 15 assists and ten rebounds without a turnover since turnovers were first tracked in the late 1970s.
Was it simply a coincidence this happened after his father John was allowed back in to Gainbridge Fieldhouse following an initial ban due to an on-court incident with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round?
As the Pacers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, Indiana scored 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting from Haliburton’s passes and the team’s success goes to show that collective basketball with elite chemistry is more powerful than any group of high-grade talent.
Indiana has never led a conference finals 3-1 in its previous nine appearances so this is unchartered territory for the Pacers but they’ve shown they are more than capable of reaching new heights.
Through the series, Haliburton is averaging 24.3 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds a game so it’s safe to assume if Indiana advances, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award is sitting pretty with his name on it.
As mentioned above though, it is an extremely impressive collective effort by the Pacers with the likes of Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin playing their roles at an incredibly high level.
The Knicks roster is undoubtedly packed with more firepower than the Pacers but despite the gap in talent, they don’t look nearly as well oiled as Indiana and there is a long way to go from here for New York.
WATCH: Tyrese Haliburton’s historic triple-double in Game 4
Knicks vs Pacers Game 5 Injury Report
New York Knicks injuries
C Karl-Anthony Towns (knee; questionable)
Indiana Pacers injuries
F Aaron Nesmith (knee; questionable), F Isaiah Jackson (achilles; out)
What TV channel is Knicks vs Pacers Game 5 on?
Game 5 of Knicks vs Pacers will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
