Pacers home in late run

LANCE Stephenson scored a career play-off high 25 points yesterday to lead the Indiana 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-ofseven second-round series 4-2, and will now battle reigning NBA champion Miami for a place in the NBA finals.

It’s the first time the Pacers have reached the eastern finals since 2004. Last year they fell to the Heat in the second round.

The Heat, led by NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, finished off the injuryhit Chicago Bulls in five games, and will be well rested when it hosts the Pacers on Thursday.

New York native Stephenson said he was eager to prove himself after what he considered a sub-par outing in game 5, in which the Knicks fended off elimination.

‘‘Last game I felt like I played not to my ability,’’ Stephenson, who also grabbed 10 rebounds, said.

Paul George added 23 points for the Pacers.

Roy Hibbert scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked five shots.

Pacers’ point guard George Hill returned from concussion. He scored 12 points and handed out five assists.

Anthony scored 35 points through the first three quarters, but added only four in the fourth period.

He missed his first five shots from the floor in the final frame and committed three turnovers during a decisive 9-0 Pacers run.

New York’s J. R. Smith scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but connected on just four of 15 shots from the floor.

Iman Shumpert scored points in the defeat.

New York had erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit with four three-pointers in less than two minutes.

The game was level at 81-81 going into the fourth quarter, and Smith connected on another three-pointer to put New York up 92-90 before the Pacers launched their game-changing charge.

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