Breadcrumb Trail Links
Sports
Basketball
NBA
Toronto Raptors
Few players have been on the floor for as many classic shots in the playoffs as the former Raptor.
Get the latest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inboxSign Up
Published Jun 07, 2025 • 3 minute read
Pacers' Pascal Siakam (left) drives to the basket against Luguentz Dort of the Thunder during the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Pacers' Pascal Siakam (left) drives to the basket against Luguentz Dort of the Thunder during the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 5, 2025. Photo by Matthew Stockman /Getty Images
Article content
Pascal Siakam has a pretty good basketball resume: Champion; Eastern Conference Final MVP; Two-time All-NBA; Most Improved Player. But he’s also been on the court for some historic, and pretty rare moments.
Advertisement 2
Toronto Sun
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
Enjoy additional articles per month.
Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account
Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
Enjoy additional articles per month
Get email updates from your favourite authors
Article content
Other than legendary clutch dagger wielder Robert Horry, it’s hard to come up with a player who has been on the floor for as many massive shots as Siakam over his time in the league.
Article content
Article content
When Tyrese Haliburton’s long two-pointer fell in Game 1 Thursday just ahead of the buzzer, giving Indiana its first lead of the game and the win, it was an all-time experience for just about everyone. Just not Siakam.
After all, he had an on-court view for an even bigger shot six years ago, one of the biggest in NBA history.
That would be Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beater over an outstretched Joel Embiid, which rattled around four times before dropping and eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers. It was one of the few series-enders at the buzzer in league history and helped propel the Raptors to the championship.
opening envelope
Your Midday Sun
Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
It’s hard for that one to be topped and the only way Haliburton’s dagger in Game 1 has a chance to do so would be for the Pacers to go on to win as well. Either way, Siakam’s the only player that was there for both of them.
Of course Siakam was also there for Haliburton’s other three shots in these playoffs that either won or forced overtime, as well as his layup to knock out the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haliburton also sank the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the second round after another huge comeback, forced overtime in stunning fashion in the conference finals against the New York Knicks and eliminated Milwaukee in Round 1 with a layup.
Loading...
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Incredibly, Siakam has also been out there for two other classics, even if they weren’t quite as important in the long run:
Advertisement 4
Article content
A year before Kawhi’s heroics, long-time Toronto tormentor LeBron James made it look easy, dropping a running, one-handed shot at the buzzer to put Cleveland up 3-0 in a series where the Raptors had homecourt advantage.
Loading...
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 5
Article content
And a year after Kawhi, there was OG Anunoby’s “I don’t shoot trying to miss” moment in the Bubble off a great pass from Kyle Lowry, which won Game 3 against Boston in the playoffs.
Loading...
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Play Video
Advertisement 6
Article content
STATS PACK
There’s not shortage of interesting stats from Game 1. Here’s a sampling:
– Indiana became the first team since 2014 to win a Finals game without anyone scoring 20 points (Siakam had 19, just under his career Finals average of 19.7 per game in seven outings).
“Elite role players, call it,” Myles Turner told reporters in Oklahoma City on Saturday.
“We have two All-Stars on our team, but at the same time they will be the first to tell you that it can be anybody’s night at any given time. We are just really following that philosophy.”
Read More
[Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace.
Tyrese Haliburton is the new Mr. Clutch, while Canadians star in epic Game 1 of NBA Finals](https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/tyrese-haliburton-new-mr-clutch)
2. [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket during Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on May 28.
Converse – not Nike – takes centre stage at NBA Finals with Thunder star](https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/converse-not-nike-takes-centre-stage-finals)
– Indiana was only 21-20 on the road in the regular season, barely above .500, yet, when things get exponentially tougher in the playoffs, is now 7-2 away from home.
– Indiana has not lost consecutive games since March 10.
– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just the ninth player to attempt 30 shots in a Finals game since 2000 (he hit 14-of-30).
And one from ESPN’s Zach Kram: “The Thunder threw just 208 passes — the fewest for any team in any game all season (and the second-fewest in a playoff game since 2013-14).”
@WolstatSun
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Comments
Featured Local Savings