The New York Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals after both progressed from the first round of the NBA play-offs.
The Knicks, who are the second seed in the East, won 118-115 in Philadelphia to clinch a 4–2 series win over the 76ers. The Milwaukee Bucks welcomed back Damian Lillard after missing the previous two games through an Achilles injury but they were unable to take their series with Indiana to a decider.
The sixth-seeded Pacers won 120-98 in Indianapolis to clinch a 4-2 upset of the third seed Milwaukee, the 2021 champions. Although Lillard returned for the Bucks, fellow star Giannis Antetokounmpo remained out, with the two-time MVP having not played any part in the series because of a calf injury.
The Pacers will begin their best-of-seven series with the Knicks in New York on Monday. After scoring a franchise play-off record as the Knicks went 3-1 up in the series, Jalen Brunson again shone, scoring a game-high 41 points as his team secured their second win in three visits to Philadelphia.
He added 12 assists, including one to Josh Hart for a three-pointer with 25.6 seconds left, which put the visitors ahead for good at 114-111.
“We knew it was going to be a grind, we just found ways to win,” said Brunson, 27.
“Every situation is different and we need to approach it with the same mentality. No matter who's in front of us, we're going to attack it.”
Despite a game-high 28 points from Lillard on his return from injury, Milwaukee trailed for most of the contest, with Obi Toppin scoring 21 points and TJ McConnell adding 20 as Indiana reached the Eastern Conference semi-finals for the first time in 10 years.
Bucks veteran Patrick Beverley showed his frustration by throwing a ball at some fans behind his team's bench, hitting a female spectator, and after they tossed it back he again threw the ball into the crowd.
“Not fair at all,” he said on X,, external formerly Twitter. “Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night.” When interviewed by reporters in the locker room,, external Beverley refused to accept questions from a female reporter as she “doesn't subscribe to his podcast” and then asked her to leave the huddle.
