Pacers Pass Cavs, Move to Conference Finals; Knicks Next?

If the New York Knicks handle business, they'll face the Indiana Pacers in their first conference finals appearance since 2000.

Nov 10, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

If and when the New York Knicks handle business against the Boston Celtics, a familiar foe awaits.

Behind one more victory against the Eastern Conference leaders, the Indiana Pacers are going back to the national semifinal round after ousting the top-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers with a 114-105 victory at Rocket Arena that secured a 4-1 victory in their best-of-seven set. They'll now battle either the Knicks or Celtics for an opportunity to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2025 NBA Finals.

Up 3-1 in their own conference semifinal set against the Celtics, the Knicks will have three opportunities to join the Pacers, starting with Wednesday night's battle in Beantown (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

The fourth-seeded Pacers are returning to the conference final round for the second straight season. Since they're the lowest seed left on the Eastern bracket, the series will tip off at either Madison Square Garden or TD Garden at a date and time to be determined. Indiana faced Boston in last year's edition and was promptly swept 4-0 by the eventual NBA champions.

Knicks fans, of course, hardly need a reminder about their team's postseason history with the Pacers, having faced them on eight prior playoff occasions. Indiana has won five of those get-togethers, including a seven-game triumph in last year's conference semifinal round. Decimated by numerous injuries, the Knicks dropped a 130-109 decision in Game 7 at MSG.

Knicks-Pacers is one of the most storied playoff rivalries in NBA history thanks to antics of Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and more. New York and Indiana split six meetings between 1993 and 2000, and the last two showings determined the East's rep in the NBA Finals.

Seeded eighth in 1999, the Knicks pulled off a six-game upset of the Pacers in a series best-known for Larry Johnson's four-point play in Game 3 at MSG. The Pacers earned revenge the following edition to earn their their first and, to date, only NBA Finals appearance.

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