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NBA: Pacers hold off Knicks to reach finals

NBA: Pacers hold off Knicks to reach finals

Lance Stephenson scored a career playoff-high 25 points on Saturday to lead the Indianapolis Pacers to a 106-99 victory over the New York Knicks and into the NBA Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers withstood 39 points by Knicks star Carmelo Anthony to win the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series four games to two and will now battle reigning NBA champions Miami for a place in the NBA finals. The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since falling in 2004 to Detroit. Leading the way was New York native Stephenson, who also had 10 rebounds. Paul George added 23 points for the Pacers. Roy Hibbert scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots. The Knicks had fended off elimination in game five at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Trying to extend the series even further, Anthony scored 35 points through the first three quarters, but scored only four in the fourth period. He missed his first five shots from the floor in the final frame and had a dunk blocked by Hibbert and committed three turnovers during a decisive 9-0 Pacers run. The Knicks were leading 92-90 when Hibbert denied Anthony. Stephenson scored at the other end, then it was Stephenson who converted an Anthony turnover into a layup and was fouled, converting the three-point play. Stephenson added two more free throws before David West capped the run with a tip-in that gave the Pacers a 99-92 lead with 2:35 remaining.