When the Toronto Raptors won the NBA championship in 2019, Kawhi Leonard got all the plaudits for his stunning display of grit and valor. But Pascal Siakam’s productivity often goes unnoticed in that Raptors’ dream run. When everyone expected Tyrese Haliburton to win the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, the NBA gave the award to Siakam, who has had a stunning season so far.
Just one vote separated the Pacers’ superstars, and there were many viral reactions regarding Siakam’s MVP victory over the favorite Haliburton. But the camaraderie within the Pacers camp sends them to the Finals, and locker room cameras caught a heartwarming moment between Siakam and Haliburton.
Tyrese Haliburton Celebrates Conference Finals Success With Pascal Siakam
As usual, the locker room celebrations went wild in the dressing room after the Pacers reached the Finals. All the players were reflecting on their moments, and when the media personnel clicked pictures of Siakam holding the Conference MVP trophy, Haliburton quickly said, “C’mon, P, here. Yeah, you gotta hold both.” He handed him the Conference Finals trophy so that he could get a vintage NBA image.
Siakam replied, “Bro, it’s heavy,” after holding both the trophies in his hand. Being the ultimate team member, Haliburton hyped his power forward up as the team chemistry is off the roof right now. If you look at the Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, their team members give you brotherly love vibes because of their special bonds.
“You gotta hold both.”
Tyrese Haliburton made sure that Pascal Siakam got a photo of him holding both the Eastern Conference Finals trophy and the ECF MVP trophy 🏆📸
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/ficoT8ilhR
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 2, 2025
Unsurprisingly, these teams go to the last stages and compete at the highest level, taking care of each other. Likewise, coach Rick Carlisle gave Siakam his flowers in the video, saying, “Congratulations, Pascal. Very deserving.”
Fans then witnessed Haliburton and Siakam go around the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the two trophies and join the Inside the NBA on TNT crew, who had an emotional night themselves with their last episode on TNT. But who deserved to win the award – Haliburton or Siakam?
Haliburton vs. Siakam – Who Won the Battle Amongst the Pacers?
While Siakam won the MVP, many believe Haliburton should have gotten his flowers after his overrated player comments. So, exploring the stats will probably give a picture of the two players’ epic performances.
Haliburton averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 10.5 assists in this series. The Pacers guard played solid defense and had 2.5 steals, pressuring the Knicks players throughout the series. He shot 45.5% from the floor, but his three-point shooting could have improved, which was 32.7%. He had a total +/- of +29 and struck a ridiculous game-tying two-pointer in Game 1 to give the Pacers the advantage.
On the other hand, Siakam averaged 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals and became the team’s primary scorer. His mid-range jumper from the right shoulder became an impressive weapon in his arsenal, and so far, the opposition teams could not handle it. Siakam had a total +/- of +36 in the series, and whenever the team needed a shot, he drained it in.
He also became impressive inside the paint, coming up with sensational blocks and shutting down Karl-Anthony Towns on most occasions. Therefore, there is a reason why people believed in Siakam, although the two are bona fide superstars of the Pacers.
Hopefully, they can carry this form into the NBA Finals and win their first NBA Championship.
