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Pacers ride record-breaking shooting day to Game 7 win over Knicks

The Indiana Pacers couldn't miss Sunday. And the New York Knicks finally couldn't overcome the injuries that wracked their roster throughout the playoffs. Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points for the visiting Pacers, who rode a historic shooting performance to a 130-109 win over the Knicks in the decisive Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Sunday afternoon. Indiana shot 67.1 percent (53-of-79) from the field -- the highest shooting percentage ever in an NBA playoff game. They broke the previous record held by the 1990 Boston Celtics, who shot 67 percent (63-of-94) in a 157-128 win over the Knicks in a first-round game. "We played a great game tonight," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "I just told our team: When you win a Game 7 in Madison Square Garden, you've made history. It's very, very difficult to do." Haliburton was 10-of-17 from the field after hoisting just 34 total shots in Games 1, 2 and 5, all of which were played in New York. "I knew today was Game 7," Haliburton said. "I would hate to be (angry) all summer about not shooting the ball today. For me, it was just about coming out, playing the right way." The sixth-seeded Pacers, who overcame series deficits of 2-0 and 3-2, will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals, scheduled to begin Tuesday night in Boston. "I don't think anybody here picked the Pacers to win the series," Haliburton said. "They didn't," Myles Turner said, sitting next to Haliburton. "But it happened," Haliburton said. This is the first trip to the conference finals for Indiana since 2014. "I think we're all excited to continue to build excitement around our city," Haliburton said. "Just understand we're not done yet. We've still got another series - possibly two - to go. But it starts with Boston and I think we're all excited for that challenge." The Knicks, who played short-handed throughout the series and lost star point guard Jalen Brunson to a fractured left hand in the third quarter Sunday, fell short in their bid to appear in the conference finals for the first time since 2000. "It was hit after hit," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "The guys responded all year long. I'm disappointed in the sense that we're not going to play anymore. But I thought they were a great group to be around and they gave everything they had." Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam each scored 20 points while Aaron Nesmith had 19 points on 8-of-8 shooting for the Pacers. Myles Turner scored 17 points while T.J. McConnell added 12 points off the bench. The 130 points were the most by a road team in a Game 7 in NBA history. Donte DiVincenzo scored a personal playoff-high 39 points for the Knicks, who played the series without All-Star Julius Randle (out since January with a right shoulder injury) and Bojan Bogdanovic (left wrist and left foot injuries). Mitchell Robinson didn't play after Game 1 due to an aggravation of his left ankle injury while OG Anunoby missed the previous four games with a left hamstring before scoring five points in fewer than five first-quarter minutes Sunday. Josh Hart played 36-plus minutes Sunday despite an abdominal injury he suffered in Game 6 Friday night. Alec Burks had 26 points Sunday while Brunson had 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting to with nine assists. Hart tallied 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists before fouling out. "Definitely proud of what we were able to do this year and proud of how we fought night-in and night-out," Brunson said. "Obviously, the outcome is not what we wanted. But the way we fought, it was awesome." The road team entered Sunday 0-6 in the series, but the Pacers took control with a blistering first half in which they led by as many as 22 while shooting 76.3 percent (29-of-38) from the field -- the best shooting percentage in a half in an NBA playoff game in the last 25 years, per ESPN. The Knicks scored the first seven points of the third quarter to begin a 12-3 run that pulled them within 73-67 with 8:06 left. But Indiana answered with a 22-9 run and led by at least 13 throughout the fourth quarter. "We made a run in the third and then we fell short," Thibodeau said. "I thought guys gave everything they had and that's all you could ask. It was a battle all year and there was nothing left to give at the end." --Field Level Media

Field Level Media NBA Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 07:56 PM

Scottie Scheffler closes PGA with 65, 'ready to go home'

Scottie Scheffler took a long look at the scoreboard off the 18th green at Valhalla Golf Club after finishing his final round at the PGA Championship on Sunday in Louisville, Ky. A few minutes later after signing for his 6-under-par round of 65, Scheffler put his head on the scorer's table and "about fell asleep." "I'm trying to figure out how quickly I can get home from here and, yeah, that's pretty much it. I think I'm just fairly tired and ready to get home," Scheffler said. It had been 2 1/2 grueling days since Scheffler was arrested in the pre-dawn hours Friday, shortly after arriving at the golf course, and charged with felony assault of a police officer. He was released in time to make his second-round tee time and kept himself in contention with a 66. However, the lack of sleep and a regular tournament routine caught up with Scheffler on Saturday. His PGA Tour record of 42 consecutive rounds of par or better was snapped with a 73. Scheffler was out of serious contention by the time he teed off on Sunday, but the two-time Masters champion birdied six of his final 11 holes to post a 13-under 271 for the tournament. He finished in a tie for eighth, his fifth top-10 in six majors since the start of last year. "I think on the golf course, I've always been proud of my toughness out there," he said after the round. "I love competing. I love trying to get the most of my game out here. "I typically try to keep the off-course life as quiet as possible, and this week obviously was not that way, so was a bit different in that sense. But I'm proud of how (caddie) Teddy (Scott) and I went around this week and competed and (I) was able to post a decent finish towards the end of the week." "Kind of running on fumes." What comes next remains uncertain. Scheffler was hopeful of returning home to Texas on Sunday night to be with wife Meredith and their newborn son, Bennett. However, he does have an arraignment scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET in Louisville. Scheffler faces four charges, which besides assault include third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic. It's uncertain if the charges will be dropped. Attorney Steve Romines, hired Friday to represent Scheffler, told the Louisville Courier Journal that the golfer "didn't do anything wrong," and Louisville police confirmed Saturday night that the body camera of a police officer who was allegedly "dragged to the ground" by Scheffler's vehicle was not in operation. The typically reserved Scheffler was followed by large galleries throughout the week, with chants of "free Scottie" ringing across the grounds. "I did my best to leave that behind me and come out here and compete and do what I love, and the support I got from the fans was amazing," he said. "I think they were cheering extra loud for me this week, and I got a lot of support from the players and caddies as well. A lot of people showing their support, a lot of players telling me how much they love me and stuff like that. "I'm really grateful to have the community that we have out here and the support of the people inside the ropes for sure." Scheffler is also still in the field for next week's Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. "I think it's all up in the air. I'm not really sure what the next days have in store," he said. "I think I'm able to get home tonight, but we'll see when I leave here. I haven't really had much chance to assess the situation off the course. "As of now I'm planning to play next week. As far as the off-the-course stuff goes, I'm not really sure." --Field Level Media

Field Level Media Golf Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 07:55 PM

Nelly Korda back in winner's circle at Mizuho Americas Open

Nelly Korda outlasted Hannah Green of Australia down the stretch to win the Mizuho Americas Open on Sunday in Jersey City, N.J. Korda's 1-under 71 was enough to finish at 14-under 274 and beat Green by a single shot. Green bogeyed the final hole when a par would have forced a playoff, and she settled for second place with a 70. Korda, the World No. 1, earned her sixth win in seven starts after her five-tournament winning streak came to a halt last week. "It's a lot of fun," Korda said. "For me it's more rewarding that all the hard work that I've put in -- all the rollercoaster that I went through from the end of 2021 with my injuries to this year -- is just super rewarding. "To have my team besides me day in and day out, you know, being so close-knit really makes it special." Korda entered Sunday with a two-shot lead but made three bogeys and one birdie on the front nine, dropping her into a tie with Green. When they made the turn at Liberty National Golf Club, Korda and Green were knotted at 11 under, and both proceeded to make birdies at the par-5 10th, par-5 13th and par-4 15th holes. "We had a lot of chat in between holes," Green said. "I wasn't really sure what it was going to be like, especially once I realized it was kind of just between us. When I got to 10 I assumed that I wasn't really in it at all. I didn't see any of the leaderboards. "And then my caddie said it was pretty much between us, so, yeah, it was enjoyable playing with Nelly and matching her and making birdies." They went par for par through the remaining holes, but Green was the one to blink at No. 18. She failed to hit the green with her second shot and went on to miss her roughly 13-foot par putt that would have pushed Korda to a playoff. "(The crowds around the green) were almost accidentally hit, but lucky they weren't," Green said of her wayward approach. "I was just trying to get something up the right side of the green and then I completely mishit it." Korda's winning streak included the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season, last month outside Houston. Korda took the week off after the Chevron, and it was Green who took advantage by winning the JM Eagle LA Championship. She was seeking her third win of 2024 Sunday. Korda, now the owner of 14 career LPGA wins and six this year, will turn her attention to the U.S. Women's Open in two weeks at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club. "I'm excited for my week off," Korda said. "I've played two weeks in a row, and obviously with the amount of adrenaline and the pressure and the head-to-head battle that I had with Hannah today, I mean, that wears on you. So I'll definitely feel pretty tired the next few days, and I'm just really excited to recharge my batteries." Four players tied for third at 10 under: Jennifer Kupcho (71), Australia's Gabriela Ruffels (72) and Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen (65) and Ariya Jutanugarn (70). --Field Level Media

Field Level Media Golf Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 07:49 PM

Xander Schauffele birdies 18th, wins PGA Championship for first major

Xander Schauffele birdied the 72nd hole to break a late tie with Bryson DeChambeau and win the PGA Championship for his first career major championship on Sunday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Schauffele, 30, posted a final-round, 6-under 65 to finish the week 21-under 263 and beat a charging DeChambeau by one. The California native held at least a share of the lead after each round. He entered Sunday tied with Collin Morikawa and began to separate quickly with birdies at Nos. 1, 4, 7 and 9. A mistake at the par-5 10th led to his only bogey of the day, which he erased immediately with birdies at Nos. 11 and 12. DeChambeau, a one-time major winner and LIV Golf star, polished off his 64 with four birdies on the back nine, including at Nos. 16 and 18. The crowd roared as his long birdie try at the par-5 18th hole dropped, tying him with Schauffele, who at that point was finishing the 17th hole. Schauffele missed the 18th fairway but hit a stellar second shot out of the rough, from a stance in a sand bunker, and his ball landed just short of the green. He chipped to 6 feet to set up the winning putt. Norway's Viktor Hovland shot 66 and took third place at 18 under. Morikawa was left behind as he made 14 straight pars to begin his round; he didn't make birdie until the last hole and shot an even-par 71, tying him with Belgium's Thomas Detry for fourth at 15 under. --Field Level Media

Field Level Media Golf Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 07:15 PM

Knicks star Jalen Brunson fractures hand in Game 7 of semifinals

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson fractured his left hand during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the visiting Indiana Pacers on Sunday and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Replays appeared to show Brunson's hand hitting Tyrese Haliburton as the Pacers' guard went up for a layup in the third quarter. The Knicks trailed 92-74 when Brunson departed. The Knicks trailed by double digits early in the fourth quarter when the team announced Brunson's injury. Brunson had recorded 17 points and nine assists in 29 minutes before his departure. He was averaging 31.8 points per game in the series entering Sunday after pouring in 35.5 per game in the first-round series victory over Philadelphia. Brunson had an epic postseason and became the fourth player in NBA playoff history to score 40 or more points in four consecutive games. Jerry West reached that mark a record six straight times in 1965. Bernard King (1984) and Michael Jordan (1993) did it in four straight contests. The Knicks were already dealing with a long list of injuries. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart returned for Game 7 after Anunoby suffered a left hamstring strain in Game 2 of the series and Hart sustained an abdominal strain in Game 6. The team has also been without Julius Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle). --Field Level Media

Field Level Media NBA Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 06:03 PM

Hurricanes, Rod Brind'Amour agree on contract extension

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour agreed to a multi-year contract extension with the team on Sunday. Terms of the deal were not announced by the Hurricanes, however The Athletic announced it was a five-year contract extension. The coach's contract was due to expire on July 1. "Rod has been instrumental to the success we've had over the last six seasons," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "Ever since he joined the organization 24 years ago, Rod has embodied what it means to be a Hurricane. We hope to keep him a Hurricane for life." Assistant coaches Jeff Daniels and Tim Gleason, video coach Chris Huffine and goaltending coach Paul Schonfelder also agreed to multi-year contract extensions, the team announced. Brind'Amour, 53, has guided the Hurricanes to the playoffs in each of the five seasons he has been at the helm, posting a 278-130-44 regular-season record in the process. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year in 2021. The Hurricanes finished second in the Metropolitan Division this season with a 52-23-7 record and 111 points, three points shy of the New York Rangers. The Rangers eliminated the Hurricanes in six games during their Eastern Conference semifinal series. As a player, Brind'Amour collected 1,184 points (452 goals, 732 assists) in 1,484 career NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes. Brind'Amour served as the captain of the Hurricanes during the franchise's lone Stanley Cup championship in 2006 and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top two-way forward in 2006 and 2007. --Field Level Media

Field Level Media NHL Breaking News

19 May, 2024 at 02:15 PM

IPL 2024: SRH star Abhishek Sharma shatters Virat Kohli’s 8-year-old record

In a significant milestone, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) star Abhishek Sharma has etched his name into the annals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) history by surpassing an iconic record previously held by Indian cricketing maestro Virat Kohli. Abhishek Sharma surpasses Virat Kohli The 23-year-old prodigy has set a new benchmark for the most number of…