Pacers look to close out Knicks in Game 5 of Eastern Conference Finals

INDIANAPOLIS - With one more win, the Indiana Pacers can secure their spot in the NBA Finals.




They would play the dominant Oklahoma City Thunder out of the Western Conference, but first they must finish off the New York Knicks. They'll have the chance Thursday night at what is sure to be a packed and raucous Madison Square Garden.




It would be only the second trip to the Finals in the team's NBA history.




"We've got to be ready to go for Game 5," said star guard Tyrese Haliburton. "They're going to come out with a lot of energy. The energy in the building is going to be a lot of fun, and we've got to be ready to go."




The Pacers took a 3-1 series lead with a home win on Tuesday. They've already beaten the Knicks twice at the Garden, and a Game 7 road win in the second round of last year's playoffs sent the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Pacers have followed a familiar roadmap in the playoffs so far: win the first two games, drop Game 3 and close things out in Game 5. That's what they did to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the second.




They're hoping to follow the same script on Thursday.




The Knicks, however, have been pesky. When the Pacers go on a run, the Knicks tend to claw their way back. In Game 3, the Pacers took a 20-point lead in the second quarter and watched as the Knicks cut into the lead little-by-little until taking control in the final minutes.




"They're going to play as desperate as they can, as they should," said Haliburton, who had a triple-double in Game 4 with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds. "They're going to come out and throw a punch and throw more punches and more punches, and we've just got to be able to respond to those."




The Pacers are hosting a viewing party at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tickets for the event were free but have already sold out.




Tip for Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. The game airs on TNT.



via: https://fox59.com/sports/pacers/pacers-look-to-close-out-knicks-in-game-5-of-eastern-conference-finals/