The Pacers are on the road Wednesday night to face the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the second straight postseason when Indiana and New York meet.
Ahead of Game 1, NBA analysts are discussing the most important players in the series. On Tuesday, former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arena made her first take on ESPN. Arenas claimed that Pacers’ Pascal Siakam has not made the “leaps” in his basketball career. He said Siakam should be the #1 scoring option for the team when it is actually Tailese Halliburton.
Pascal Siakam needs to step up in a big way for ECF’s Indiana Pacers
Gilbert Arenas says Pascal Siakam never took that “leap forward” in his basketball career
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Gilbert Arena discussed the most important #2 options in the conference finals during ESPN’s first take on Tuesday. The former player argued that Pacers’ Pascal Siakam should not be discussed as a #1 scoring option. However, Siakam has not taken that “leap forward” in his career. When Indiana needed a bucket, Tyrese Halliburton was their go-to guy in the postseason. Arenas argued that it would be difficult for Star PG to be the team’s #1 scoring option as well.
He first told Take that he believes Pascal Siakam will become an offensive man in Indiana. 20.2 points per game led the team in the regular season. However, he was only two points better than Halliburton. The 2025 playoffs will be even narrower between Tyrees Halliburton and Pascalciacam. That’s why Gilbert Arenas argued that the Pacers won’t have the chance to win if Halliburton can’t step up offensively.
Indiana’s biggest strength in the playoffs is its depth. Six players average double digit points per game during the Pacers postseason. Head coach Rick Carlisle relies on his rotation. To defeat the New York Knicks, the Pacers need someone to step up and take over offensively. Can Pascal Siakam become an Indiana player? Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is Wednesday at 8pm ET.