Failure against Pacers

Knicks must tremble for NBA play-off semi-final

The New York Knicks have missed out on reaching the play-off semi-finals of the North American professional basketball league NBA ahead of schedule and for the first time since 2000. On Friday (local time), the Knicks lost the sixth game of the "best of seven" series at the Indiana Pacers by 103:116, allowing the Pacers to tie the game at 3:3. The decisive seventh game will take place next Sunday (local time) in New York; so far, each team has won its home games.

The winner will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The game remained evenly poised until midway through the second quarter, when the Pacers went on a 10:0 run to pull 61:48 ahead and control proceedings in the second half. "We moved the ball better and grabbed more rebounds - that's crucial in this series," said Indiana's Head Coach Rick Carlisle.

Six Pacers players scored in double figures, with Pascal Siakam the best scorer with 25 points. Jalen Brunson was the Knicks' top scorer with 31 points.

Friday's NBA play-off results (2nd round/conference semifinals, "best of seven"):

Eastern Conference: Indiana Pacers - New York Knicks 116:103 (score in the series 3:3)