One year after losing to the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers are heading to the 2025 NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, thanks to a blowout 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 6. This win marked only the second Finals appearance in franchise history, as Indiana now hopes to overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder to earn their first championship.
The Pacers' postseason journey has been remarkable. They finished fourth in the Eastern Conference before defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games and the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in six.
In Game 6 of the ECF, Pascal Siakam delivered a standout performance, scoring 31 points and leading the Pacers to victory. His consistent excellence throughout the series earned him the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, narrowly edging out teammate Tyrese Haliburton by a 5-4 vote margin.
Following this news, Siakam's trade from the Toronto Raptors has become a topic of discussion among fans who believe they should have kept him.
"Pascal Siakam getting on a team actually built to fit around his skill set and he's going to the Finals," said one. "Shame the Raptors couldn't evaluate their own homegrown talent to build around him right."
"pascal should have retired as a raptor," said another. "but i’m glad he’s happy and thriving in indiana and getting appreciated on the biggest stage."
"Pascal is on a team that plays to his strengths," claimed another. "We didn’t use him the right way on the raptors."
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43)
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43)
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
"To think a year and half ago Darko wanted to put Pascal in a corner to say he does not fit," one stated. "Pascal is a baller and the Raptors fan base and FO did not respect him and expect him to carry all the Scrubs. So happy for Pascal for proving all the hater wrong."
"imagine if the raptors had a guy like Pascal Siakam," added one.
Siakam's path to this moment has been remarkable. Drafted by the Raptors in 2016, he played a key role in their 2019 NBA Championship run, contributing significantly to their six-game victory over the Golden State Warriors. In January 2024, he was traded to the Pacers, a move that has proven transformative for Indiana's championship aspirations.