- Jalen Brunson suffered a fractured hand as the Knicks lost to the Pacers Sunday
- Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting powered Indian into the Eastern Conference finals
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Jalen Brunson suffered a fractured hand and was pulled out in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers dominated the New York Knicks 130-109 in Game 7 on Sunday.
The Pacers were ruthless from the start and Tyrese Haliburton’s devastating shooting powered them into the Eastern Conference finals – where they will play the Boston Celtics.
Replays appeared to show Brunson suffered the injury to his thumb as he tried to knock the ball out of Haliburton’s hand while he jumped to shoot.
It was the latest in a long line of injuries for the depleted Knicks – who also had OG Anunoby and Josh Hart battling problems while Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic and Julius Randle were all out.
Haliburton scored 26 points as the Pacers rode one of the most sensational first halves in Game 7 history that took the sting out of a fervent home crowd.
Jalen Brunson suffered a fractured hand as the Indiana Pacers dominated the New York Knicks
![Tyrese Haliburton's devastating shooting powered the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/19/23/85076855-13436333-image-a-33_1716157194668.jpg)
Tyrese Haliburton’s devastating shooting powered the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals
![Haliburton scored 26 points as the Pacers produced a sensational first half in New York City](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/19/23/85076857-13436333-image-a-34_1716157218807.jpg)
Haliburton scored 26 points as the Pacers produced a sensational first half in New York City
The Pacers made 29 of their 38 shots in the first half, a shooting percentage of 76.3 per cent that was the highest in the postseason since 1997, when the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters.
They led 70-55 at that point and pulled away every time the Knicks tried to make a run in the second half.
Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard each scored 20 points and Aaron Nesmith was 8 for 8 en route to his 19 for the Pacers.
Indiana last reached the conference finals in 2014, losing to Miami.
Donte DiVincenzo made nine 3-pointers and scored 39 points for the Knicks, who were trying to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
Brunson finished with 17 points and nine assists, shooting 6 for 17 after scoring 40 or more points five times in this postseason. Alec Burks came off the bench for 26 points.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk