Pascal Siakam scored 39 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 to go 2-0 up in the NBA Eastern Conference play-off finals.
The three-time All-Star scored the Pacers’ first 11 points at Madison Square Garden as they claimed their sixth consecutive play-off win away from home.
Game three in the best-of-seven series takes place in Indianapolis at 01:00 BST on Monday.
“I just came out aggressive,” said Siakam, who has averaged more than 20 points in six consecutive seasons and won the NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
“We’re a team. It doesn’t matter who scores. That’s what I love so much about this team.
“I got it going early and the guys did a good job of finding me. Another night, it will be somebody else. That’s what makes us special.”
Myles Turner scored 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
The fourth-seeded Pacers led by 10 points with two minutes 25 seconds left, but two free throws from OG Anunoby, five points from Jalen Brunson and a Josh Hart lay-up with 14 seconds left brought the Knicks to within one point at 110-109.
But Aaron Nesmith and Turner scored two free throws apiece for the Pacers to secure victory.
Brunson finished with 36 points to set a Knicks post-season record of 19 30-point games, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges both scored 20 points and made seven rebounds.
Bridges said: “I know it is 2-0 but it is still a long series. We just have to find different ways to advance.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0 in the Western Conference finals.
The winners of each conference finals will meet in the NBA Finals from 5-22 June.
