Scoring explosion from former Warriors' pair proves futile in playoff elimination

The New York Knicks season has come to an end on Sunday at Madison Square Garden despite the best efforts of former Golden State Warriors' guards Donte DiVincenzo and Alec Burks.

With neither team having won on the road heading into Game 7, the Indiana Pacers defied that fact with a historic shooting display that guided them to a 130-109 win over the injury-hit Knicks.

Former Golden State Warriors' pair Donte DiVincenzo and Alec Burks combined for 65 points in the New York Knicks' Game 7 loss on Sunday

Already without key players Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic, the Knicks chances were further hit when OG Anunoby's attempt to play through a hamstring injury went awry less than five minutes into the game.

Josh Hart played over 36 minutes but was clearly hampered by injury, while All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson played less than 30 minutes after he left the game with what resulted as a broken hand.

DiVincenzo and Burks were left to breathe life into their team's offense, though New York were always up against it after the Pacers poured in 39 points and jumped out to a 12-point lead at the end of the opening period.

In his first year with the Knicks after departing the Warriors in free agency, DiVincenzo again recored a playoff career-high with 39 points on 11-of-21 shooting including a blistering 9-of-15 from three-point range.

Burks, who played 48 games for Golden State in 2019-20, had been a DNP in New York's first seven playoff games yet became an increasing presence in the face of their injury crisis. The 32-year-old had 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 14 in the second-quarter alone as he almost single-handedly kept the Knicks afloat.

It was ultimately the other end of the floor where the hosts couldn't get it done, with the Pacers' setting an NBA playoff record by shooting 67.1% from the floor which included 76.3% in the first-half.

Each of Indiana's starters scored at least 17 points, headed by 26 from All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers will now play the Boston Celtics for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals starting Tuesday.