Pascal Siakam was a standout in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He was superb, but he knows the team played a significant role in his big night.
The Indiana Pacers have done the improbable by taking a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. They beat the New York Knicks twice at Madison Square Garden, a fantastic achievement.
Pascal Siakam was the star in Game 2, scoring a postseason career-high of 39 points. He dominated the whole game, and he maintained that level throughout all four quarters. With that performance, the Pacers have complete control of the series as they head back home.
The Pacers have a 2-0 lead heading into Game 3 in Indianapolis. Siakam knows they still have a lot of work to do. He is the most experienced player on the Pacers roster, dating back to his 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors.
He had his best postseason performance in Game 2, but he is not taking all the credit. Siakam knows that his teammates were superb, as they prevented the Knicks from mounting a comeback.
After Game 2, Siakam spoke about how the Pacers performed at their peak as a collective. That was a fantastic message to send because they are not a team led by a single superstar. The Pacers are a team that has worked hard to be two games away from the NBA Finals.
“Our intensity was a little better. We didn’t like our defense in that first game.
“We just wanted to correct some things, but I thought the fight by the guys was good from the jump. They made some runs. But we were able to sustain it and play our ball,” Siakam said after Game 2.
“At the end of the day, we’re a team. Doesn’t matter who scores. That’s what I love about this team. We don’t care about who scores, we just want to win the game.”
“I got it going early, the guys did a good job finding me. On any other night, it’s gonna be somebody else, that’s what makes us special.”
The Pacers are 6-1 on the road in the 2025 Playoffs. That is an impressive run for Indiana, considering they played against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, they have two away wins against the Knicks in the iconic Madison Square Garden.
The series is pivoting to Indianapolis, where everyone will root for the Pacers. That is a hostile environment for the Knicks, who will try to mount a comeback. The Pacers know they have a tough challenge ahead, so they will be prepared.
They were underdogs for most of the postseason, so they are outplaying expectations. Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s leader, is a perfect representation of that defiant attitude. Combined with Siakam’s experience and desire to win a second ring, the Pacers are dangerous.
“I think we know that nobody is picking us to win this game. We just go out there, we know that. We got our team, that’s all we got, we don’t really care about that. The coaching staff is doing a great job preparing us for those moments,” Siakam continued.
