Pascal Siakam helps Indiana Pacers beat New York Knicks to send Eastern Conference semifinals to hard-fought Game 7 at Madison Square Garden

Pascal Siakam had 25 points and seven rebounds as the Indiana Pacers turned the tables on the New York Knicks with a 116-103 victory Friday night to even the Eastern Conference semifinals at 3-3.

The decisive Game 7 will be played on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

Indiana entered the game determined to match New York’s intensity and physical rebounding style after a 30-point blowout loss in Game 5.

The Pacers outscored New York with a 44-37 rebounding advantage and even held a slight 14-13 advantage on the offensive end after being dominated on the glass in Game 5.

Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each scored 15 points, with Nemhard grabbing six rebounds and dishing out six assists as Indiana kept its perfect playoff home record intact at 6-0. Haliburton had nine assists.

Pascal Siakam had 25 points and seven rebounds as Pacers beat Knicks 116-103

Tyrese Haliburton added 15 points as the Pacers forced a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden

Jalen Brunson once again led the shorthanded Knicks by scoring 31 points on 11-of-26 shooting after missing his final 11 shots in the first half. Deuce McBride added 20 points and Donte DiVincenzo had 17, but Josh Hart left in the fourth quarter with what the Knicks called abdominal pain.

The Knicks have lost nine straight playoff games at Indiana, but now return to the Garden, where they have played considerably better.

It didn’t take long for the Pacers to show that this contest would be different.

They dominated New York early, recovering loose balls and turning them into quick points as they took a 42-41 lead on Haliburton’s second three-pointer. The ensuing 16-7 run helped the Pacers take a 61-48 halftime lead and they never trailed again.

Brunson rallied in the second half, putting the Knicks within 61-56 after making two baskets and a free throw.

Jalen Brunson led the short-handed Knicks by scoring 31 points on 11-of-26 shooting

But Nembhard and Haliburton responded with consecutive 3-pointers to rebuild an 11-point margin, and the Knicks never really competed again.

It was the third straight game decided by double digits after the first three were all decided by a one-point margin.

New York once again played without four key players due to injuries: forwards OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic and Julius Randle, as well as backup center Mitchell Robinson.

Only Anunoby, who injured his left hamstring in the second half of Game 2 and hasn’t played since, appears to have a chance of returning Sunday.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Anunoby continues to do “light duty” as he tries to recover.