Pacers aim for second NBA Finals appearance, Knicks face uphill battle

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA Finals matchup will be set Thursday night if the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks in Game 5 to win the Eastern Conference title.

The Pacers are trying to reach the finals for just the second time in franchise history. They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 in their only previous trip.

Indiana would advance to meet the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the West on Wednesday night with a 124-94 rout of Minnesota in Game 5.

The Pacers won both games in New York to start this series and have won six straight on the road, two shy of the NBA record for one postseason. They are 11-3 overall in these playoffs.

The Knicks are trying to become the 14th NBA team to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the first to win a conference finals series after dropping the first two games at home.

But they have struggled to defend Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers, and could be without one of their most important players. All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable because of a bruised left knee he sustained in a collision late in Indiana’s 130-121 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday.

If the Knicks win, Game 6 would be Saturday in Indiana. The NBA Finals are set to begin in Oklahoma City next Thursday.