The Indiana Pacers secured their sixth consecutive road win this postseason behind a dominant performance from forward Pascal Siakam. The Toronto native scored a playoff career-high 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting, complemented by five rebounds and three assists.
Siakam’s impressive display helped silence the crowd at Madison Square Garden, giving the Pacers a 114-109 victory that put them ahead in the series. Coach Rick Carlisle attributed Siakam’s success to feeding him the ball, stating “We just kept feeding him, and I thought he did a great job of making big shot after big shot.”
The win marked the third career 35-point game for Siakam with the Pacers, narrowing the gap between his playoff scoring totals. This performance also saw him match up against former Raptors teammate OG Anunoby, whom he edged in their individual matchups.
In contrast to previous games, where opponents had struggled to contain Siakam, Carlisle acknowledged that the series’ physicality made it challenging for scoring. However, Siakam’s leadership and experience played a significant role in guiding his teammates towards a balanced attack.
Siakam attributed the Pacers’ collective success to feeding off each other’s strengths, emphasizing that “you can’t ride a wave” or get complacent despite their series advantage. The team’s overall performance highlights the value of their diverse contributors, including guard Tyrese Haliburton and center Myles Turner.
Despite their 2-0 lead, Carlisle urged his team to stay focused on each upcoming challenge, cautioning against underestimating opponents in New York due to home court advantages.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45291394/pascal-siakam-drops-39-pacers-put-knicks-2-0-series-hole