NBA Playoffs: Indiana Pacers Advance to First Eastern Conference Finals Since 2004

May 18, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA;Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) goes to the basket against the New York Knicks in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 106-99. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Pacers 106 New York Knicks 99

How Indiana Won: The second ranked defense in the NBA this season didn’t show up for most of the game, but when it mattered the most, the Pacers were able to grind it out on defense.

With the Knicks up 92-90 with five minutes remaining, Carmelo Anthony drove the lane and went up for a dunk, only to have it blocked by Roy Hibbert, which lead to a Lance Stephenson layup.  The Pacers then went on an 11-2 and sealed the win.

 Paul George scored 23 points for the Pacers, while Hibbert added 21 points and 12 rebounds.  But the biggest contribution came from Stephenson, who finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds.  Indiana also dominated in the paint, having a 52-20 edge in points in the paint, and a 12-0 advantage in points in the paint.

The Pacers will be heading to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2004, when they lost to the eventual champions Detroit Pistons.

 How New York Lost: The Knicks played their hearts out, but just didn’t execute down the stretch.  Although New York shot just 40 percent from the field, they shot 13 for 30(43 percent) from the three-point line that helped keep them in the game.

Anthony led the way with 39 points and 9 rebounds, while Iman Shumpert added 19 points including making five three-pointers.  J.R. Smith scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench.

But the achilles heel for the Knicks this season will be the last five minutes of the game.  They shot just 2 of 6, committed 3 turnovers, and was outscored 16-7.

 It Was Over When: After Hibbert’s block on Anthony led to a Stephenson basket that tied the game, Anthony turned the ball over the next two Knicks possessions, the latter leading to a Stephenson 3-point play.  Of the 11-2 run, Stephenson scored 7 of the Pacers points.

 Quote of the Game:  “That’s why they pay me the big bucks this summer, so I have to protect the paint, all else fails, meaning the offense, I have to protect the paint.” 

-Roy Hibbert

Box Score:

New York Knicks

STARTERS

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

42

15-29

1-4

8-8

2

5

7

2

0

0

3

5

-8

39

25

6-10

5-6

2-2

1

2

3

0

0

0

1

6

-2

19

23

1-4

0-0

0-0

5

1

6

0

0

0

0

6

-17

2

33

0-7

0-0

2-2

3

0

3

6

1

0

2

2

-3

2

29

2-6

2-5

0-0

0

0

0

6

0

0

0

2

-1

6

BENCH

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

6

1-3

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

-4

2

22

2-3

0-0

1-1

0

4

4

1

1

0

0

6

+10

5

19

3-8

3-6

0-0

1

2

3

0

0

0

1

1

-4

9

6

0-0

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

1

-6

0

35

4-15

2-9

5-5

2

8

10

3

0

0

1

3

0

15

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS

Indiana Pacers

STARTERS

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

38

6-12

0-0

5-6

1

4

5

4

0

0

1

1

+12

17

45

9-15

2-3

3-9

0

5

5

4

1

0

2

3

+3

23

42

6-13

0-0

9-12

6

6

12

2

1

5

2

2

+10

21

42

2-10

1-6

7-7

0

5

5

4

0

1

1

1

+12

12

34

9-13

0-3

7-8

1

9

10

3

1

0

0

1

0

25

BENCH

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

11

0-0

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

-8

0

9

1-2

0-1

3-4

3

2

5

0

0

1

0

3

+3

5

4

0-0

0-0

0-0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

1

+1

0

13

1-2

1-2

0-0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

+2

3

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS

Fast break points:   12