Pascal Siakam continues to be a nightmare for defenders this NBA postseason. The veteran forward delivered another standout performance, dropping 39 points in the Pacers’ 114-109 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Siakam dominated the floor, slashing to the basket, nailing clutch shots and punishing the Knicks every time they left him open or gave him space to operate. His footwork, energy and confidence kept Indiana in control all night in a hostile environment.
After the game, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green weighed in on Siakam during TNT’s "Inside the NBA," discussing his craftiness and relentless effort on both ends of the court.
"He's a very tough cover," Green said. "He reminds me of Boris Diaw. As soon as you touch his body, he spins off you. You can never get leverage on him. I was talking the other day about our series with Minnesota, and I lost my matchup to Julius Randle. The only other time I really felt like I lost a matchup in a series was against Pascal Siakam. When we played Toronto during his championship run—yeah, that one Shaq keeps talking about, he destroyed me.”
Pascal Siakam
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43).
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
During the regular season, Siakam averaged 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 32.7 minutes per game, appearing in 78 of 82 contests for the Pacers.
In the first-round playoff series against Milwaukee, he averaged 19.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He followed that with 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in the series against Cleveland.
The 31-year-old joined Indiana on January 17, 2024. He helped lead the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals last season, where they were swept by Boston. In July, he re-signed with the Pacers on a four-year deal and has proven to be worth every dollar.
Siakam was selected as a reserve for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, marking the third All-Star nod of his career. A former standout at New Mexico State, he was a first-round pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2016. Originally from Cameroon, Siakam moved to the U.S. at age 18.
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals is set for Sunday, with Indiana hosting and looking to take a 3-0 lead. The winner of the series will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City currently leads its series 2-0.