Jalen Brunson breaks hand as Pacers dump Knicks out of NBA playoffs in Game 7 | NBA

Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 factors and the Indiana Pacers rode one of the sensational first halves in Recreation 7 historical past to a 130-109 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday, advancing to the Japanese Convention finals for the primary time in 10 years.

The Pacers made 29 of their 38 photographs within the first half, a capturing share of 76.3%. That was the best within the postseason since 1997, when the NBA started conserving detailed play-by-play for all 4 quarters. They led 70-55 at that time and pulled away each time the Knicks tried to make a run within the second half.

The No 6-seeded Pacers set an NBA playoff file by ending at 67.1% capturing for the sport and superior to face top-seeded Boston in a sequence that begins on Tuesday. Indiana final reached the convention finals in 2014, dropping to Miami.

Jalen Brunson left within the second half with a damaged left hand, one remaining damage for a Knicks group that was hit onerous by them. They received OG Anunoby again on Sunday after he missed the earlier 4 video games with a strained hamstring, however he clearly wasn’t transferring properly and was taken out of the sport after simply 5 minutes.

Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard every scored 20 factors and Aaron Nesmith was 8 for 8 en path to his 19 for the Pacers.

Donte DiVincenzo made 9 three-pointers and scored 39 factors for the Knicks, who had been making an attempt to achieve the convention finals for the primary time since 2000 however couldn’t overcome the losses of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic, earlier than dropping Anunoby and at last Brunson.

Brunson completed with 17 factors and 9 assists, capturing 6 for 17 after scoring 40 or extra factors 5 occasions on this postseason. Alec Burks got here off the bench for 26 factors.

“Realizing that this group gave its greatest effort all 12 months lengthy, I can reside with the consequence,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “It’s disappointing, however in the long run there’s solely going to be one pleased group. Twenty-nine groups will fall quick. This group fought like loopy and there’s no remorse.”

The third Recreation 7 between the franchises – the Knicks received within the 1994 Japanese Convention finals and the Pacers pulled out a 97-95 victory the following 12 months within the East semifinals – was an opportunity for the Pacers to point out off the offense that led the NBA with 123.3 factors per recreation.

They scored 39 factors within the first quarter, essentially the most in a Recreation 7 within the play-by-play period, trying each bit just like the group that set an NBA file this season by reaching 140 11 occasions.

The Pacers made 10 of their first 11 photographs – it might have been 11 of 12, however Myles Turner’s dunk try bounced again out of the basket – and didn’t decelerate a lot the remainder of the half. Knicks followers who had been screaming and chanting earlier than the sport had been quickly groaning because the Pacers made shot after shot, irrespective of how properly the Knicks defended them.

The Pacers led 39-27 after capturing 16 for 21 from the sphere (76.2%) and seven for 9 from three-point vary (77.8%) within the first quarter. Indiana then went 13 for 17 (76.5%) within the second quarter, with the lead rising to 22 factors.

The Knicks lower it to 70-55 at halftime, then scored the primary seven out of the break as a part of a 12-3 begin to the second half that trimmed it to 73-67. However with the Pacers main by seven, the Knicks dedicated three straight turnovers that helped Indiana push the result in 84-70.

Josh Hart performed by way of an belly pressure for the Knicks, fouling out with 10 factors and eight rebounds.