Pascal Siakam earned some hardware as he led the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals for the first time in a quarter century, and the league sparked a bit of controversy with the decision.
The Pacers dispatched the New York Knicks in Saturday's Game 6, winning 125-108 to win the Eastern Conference Finals and face the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder.
After the game, the Pacers announced that Siakam had won the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Siakam scored 31 points in Saturday's closeout game, connecting on 10-of-18 shots from the field and 3-of-5 from behind the 3-point arc. He added five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks.
The NBA revealed that it was a close vote, with Siakam earning five of the first-place votes and teammate Tyrese Haliburton earning four. The decision was met with some controversy, with many fans suggesting that Haliburton should have taken home the hardware for his contributions as a scorer and facilitator of the offense.
"Robbed Tyrese," one fan wrote on X.
"They should never let these guys vote ever again," wrote another.
Others praised Pacers legend Reggie Miller, who case his vote for Haliburton.
Haliburton scored 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting on Saturday, adding 13 assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. The Pacers guard had some other big moments in the series, making NBA history in Game 4 as the first player in league history to record 30 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists and no turnovers in a playoff game.
Haliburton and Siakam will now turn their attention to the Thunder, with the NBA Finals set to kick off on Thursday.