By Geoffrey Latayan
The Indiana Pacers moved within a win of reaching the NBA Finals after beating New York Knicks, 130-121, in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Finals best-of-seven series at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tyrese Haliburton posted 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds and no turnovers for his second career playoff triple-double and became the first player in NBA playoff history to record a 30-15-10 and no errors.
More importantly, he gave the Pacers a 3-1 advantage in the series, moving a win away from becoming the Eastern Conference’s representative in the 2025 NBA Finals.
Haliburton, who also had four steals, made 11-of-23 shots from the floor and 5-of-12 from three-point range.
Pascal Siakam added 30 points for the Pacers while Bennedict Mathurin scored 20 points off the bench for Indiana.
Haliburton draws inspiration from father
In the post-game conference, Haliburton said that he’s glad his father, who was banned from entering the premises of Gainbridge Fieldhouse following an on-court scuffle with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, is back to watch the game live and show his support for him and the rest of the team.
“Hell yeah. I’m glad pop is in the building,” Haliburton said. “It makes it that much more sweet. Had a little bit to do with it.”
Meanwhile, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle praised Mathurin for his explosion off the bench, saying that it gave the team a huge lift.
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KAT suffers knee injury
New York’s Game 3 hero Karl-Anthony Towns succumbed to a knee injury late in the contest.
He sustained the injury while defending a drive by Myles Turner but played through pain in the remaining minutes of the game and finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points while OG Anunoby came in with 21 markers.
Mikal Bridges added 17 points for New York, which committed 17 turnovers in Game 4.
Indiana led by 14 but New York rallied to cut the deficit to six with a 10-2 run.
However, Obi Toppin buried a triple with 46 ticks left to give the Pacers a 126-116 advantage, sealing the Knicks’ fate.
The series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 as Indiana looks to make the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000.
The Knicks, on the brink of elimination, have not reached the NBA Finals since 1999 and their last crown was in 1973.
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