by TYLER HATHAWAY
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Just under two minutes into the second half of game six of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night, Indiana Pacers starting center Myles Turner had picked up his fourth foul. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle turned to Thomas Bryant to fill Turner’s shoes for an extended period of time.
Bryant came in and immediately made an impact. Less than five seconds after checking in, he blocked a shot from New York Knicks wing OG Anunoby, which created a fast-break the other way. Pascal Siakam converted an and-one lay-up, and after flexing and celebrating, Bryant was the first one there to help him up.
Bryant then connected on a three-pointer from the corner two minutes later. A minute and a half after that, the Bishop Kearney alum had another three-point make from the same corner that extended Indiana’s lead to 15 points, and caused Gainbridge Fieldhouse to erupt. New York head coach Tom Thibedeau was forced to call timeout, and chants of “Thomas Bryant” began to reign down from the Pacers faithful.
“It was great,” Bryant told the Indianapolis Star after the game. “For me, I’ve never had that happen. Through high school, college, NBA, that was the first time for that to happen. It was kind of a shock, but also a great moment to live in right there.”
The eighth-year center finished with a playoff career-high 11 points, three rebounds, and a block in 13 minutes as the fourth-seeded Pacers won game six of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals Saturday against the No. 3 seed New York Knicks by a score of 125-108. The win clinched the series in six games and secured a spot in the franchise’s second ever NBA Finals.
“It feels more than just great,” Bryant told WISH-TV news about making the Finals postgame. “Long season, long, hard years. Been staying with a great team, a great, resilient team. It just means the most when you get to these times right here.”
Bryant’s big game six comes after a stretch of three games where he only saw the floor for a combined five minutes. But Bryant’s energy stayed high while on the bench, something teammate Siakam and the rest of the Pacers squad took note of and appreciated.
“He was the best guy on the bench,” Siakam told TNT’s Ernie Johnson after the game. “He lost his minutes, but he kept cheering for everyone. The basketball gods are gonna re-pay you when you are that type of teammate. He was so laser-focused, and he helped us win the game tonight.”
“It means the most the most that my coaches, my teammates, they all believed in me,” said Bryant. “They always told me to stay with it and I appreciate those guys from the bottom of my heart, man. I wouldn’t be here without them”.
Bryant was one of four former Section V athletes this year to be on a team that reached the NBA playoffs. Isaiah Stewart (McQuaid) was a member of a Detroit Pistons squad that snagged the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. Stewart finished the regular season averaging 6.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.7 APG. Jalen Pickett (Aquinas) and his Denver Nuggets were the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Pickett produced 4.1 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.4 RPG in the regular season. Jeenathan “Nate” Williams (UPrep) averaged 3.3 points per game on a Houston Rockets squad that nabbed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The Pacers advance to face the No. 1 seed of the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the NBA Finals. Game one is scheduled for Thursday, at 8:30 E.T in Oklahoma City.
Leave a Reply