Pascal Siakam was a standout in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He was great, but he knows the team played a key role on his big night.
The Indiana Pacers did something unlikely to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. They defeated the New York Knicks twice at Madison Square Garden, a great achievement.
Pascal Siakam is a Game 2 star and scored a career-high 39 points in the postseason. He dominated the entire game and maintained that level throughout all four quarters. Its performance gives the Pacers complete control of the series when they get home.
The Pacers have a 2-0 lead heading into Game 3 for Indianapolis. Siakam knows they still have a lot to do. He is the most experienced player on the Pacer roster, dating back to the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors.
He had the best postseason performance in Game 2, but he doesn’t take all the credits. Siakam knows his teammates are great as they prevented the Knicks from increasing their comebacks.
After Game 2, Siakam spoke about how the Pacers performed at the peak as a group. They’re not a team led by one superstar, so it was a great message to send. Pacer is a team that worked hard two games away from the NBA Finals.
“We’ve got a little better in our strength. We didn’t like defense in that first game.
“We just wanted to fix some things, but I thought the fight by the guys was good from the jump. They did some run. But we were able to keep it up and play the ball,” Siakam said after Game 2.
“At the end of the day, we’re a team. Anyone can score. That’s what I like about this team. We don’t care who scores. We just want to win the game.”
“I went with it early, the guys did a good job finding me. The other night it’s going to be someone else, that makes us special.”
Pacer is 6-1 on the road in the 2025 playoffs. That’s an impressive run for Indiana considering they’ll face the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now they have two wins against the Knicks at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
This series pivots in Indianapolis. It’s a hostile environment for the Knicks. The Pacers know they’re going to take on tough challenges first, so they’re prepared.
They’ve surpassed expectations as they were mostly underdogs in the postseason. Team leader Tyrese Halliburton perfectly expresses his rebellious attitude. Combined with Siakam’s experience and desire to win a second ring, the Pacers are dangerous.
“I think we know no one has chosen us to win this game. We’re just going out there. We’ve got a team.