How Pascal Siakam’s Underrated Role Could Propel the Pacers to Their First NBA Finals in Decades

Back in January 2024, the Indiana Pacers were cruising with the NBA’s most lethal offense—the kind that made defenses scramble and fans cheer—but something was still missing. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton was weaving his magic, orchestrating a blistering pace and distributing with eagle-eyed precision. Yet, despite all the fireworks from beyond the arc, the team lacked that elusive second scorer, the go-to guy who could carve out shots when the chaos hit. On the flip side, their defense resembled a patchwork quilt — vulnerable and often outmatched against bigger, more physical wings. The result? Sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference, they teased potential but didn’t scream championship threat. So, where do you find that perfect piece—an All-Star caliber forward who can blend into the fast-break frenzy, not stir the pot, and shore up the defense without missing a shot? Turns out, the answer wasn’t in a far-flung dream or a lottery pick—it was a savvy trade uprooting Pascal Siakam from Toronto. Since landing in Indianapolis, Siakam has quietly morphed the Pacers into a more balanced unit—lifting both their ceiling and floor, while serving as a veteran presence in a locker room hungry for playoff glory. There’s more to this story—how Indiana crafted itself a contender, piece by piece, with a player who does a little bit of everything and shows up when it counts the most.

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Advertisement“He’s the kind of player that would go to any team, at any time, and would blend in in a matter of … days, really,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of forward Pascal Siakam before Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks. “And you know, that’s one thing that makes him special and unique. More time with the team, more time with the group, is always something that is going to increase how comfortable he is and how comfortable his teammates are with him.It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

It’s what allows Siakam to take not just whatever is out there, but also whoever is out there:

“He’s very versatile in the way he can attack the game,” Nembhard said. He can shoot the 3. He can kind of play off the dribble and go by you. He can post up. He can get it from the mid-post. So I think, based on the defender, he can change up his attack.”Siakam didn’t transform Indiana into a no-doubt-about-it juggernaut. What he did, though, was raise both the Pacers’ floor and their ceiling, giving Carlisle a tactical answer to just about any question an opponent can pose — an invaluable resource this time of year — as well as a respected, decorated veteran whose voice would carry in a young locker room.“I think what makes us special as a team is that we have different weapons, and we’re not consumed with who’s going to do what, you know?” he said after Game 2. “You just go into the game, and however the game presents itself, that’s how we’re going to take it and do it that way. It doesn’t matter who scores. … It’s going to take all of us to get where we want to get to.”“A quiet 39” is perfect for both Siakam, who gets less publicity than plenty of dudes who aren’t three-time All-Stars and two-time All-NBA selections, and these Pacers, perennially overshadowed by bigger stars in bigger markets and overlooked by commentators more focused on personality than production. It’s also in the running for the best playoff performance of Siakam’s nine-year career — up there with putting up 37-11-6 against Milwaukee last spring, hanging 32-8-5 in his NBA Finals debut, and the 26-and-10 double-double he authored in Game 6 of those 2019 Finals — a game he capped with a tough take over the top of no less a defender than Draymond Green, and the series that made him an NBA champion.