NBA playoffs

NEW YORK (AP) — When the Indiana Pacers achieved one of the most impressive offensive seasons in NBA history, it was only a prelude to their remarkable performance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. On Sunday, they delivered an extraordinary display by shooting 67.1% from the field, a new NBA playoff record, to defeat the New York Knicks 130-109. This victory propelled the Pacers into the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in a decade, with Tyrese Haliburton leading the charge by scoring 26 points.

“We have a historic offense obviously, but this guy got things rolling and everybody kind of just followed suit,” said center Myles Turner, acknowledging Haliburton’s leadership. He added that achieving such a feat on the road at Madison Square Garden in a decisive Game 7 was phenomenal and reflective of their season-long performance.

Throughout the regular season, the Pacers averaged 123.3 points per game, the sixth highest in NBA history, and set a record by scoring 140 points in 11 games. Their momentum continued into the playoffs, highlighted by an astonishing first-half shooting performance where they made 29 of 38 shots, achieving a 76.3% shooting percentage—the highest in the postseason since 1997. Despite the Knicks’ efforts to close the gap, the Pacers maintained their lead, heading into halftime with a 70-55 advantage and pulling away further in the second half.