Indiana Pacers Forward Pascal Siakam got brutally honest following his side’s heartbreaking loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals as the Pacer explained how his time under Head Coach Rick Carlisle reignited his joy for Basketball.
Going into Game Seven, Siakam was the frontrunner for Finals MVP if his team had gone all the way, averaging 19.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, four assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 1.8 turnovers in the finals prior to the game seven loss to the Thunder.
Pascal Siakam Talks ‘Dark’ Time With the Raptors, ‘Joy For the Game’ With Pacers
Pascal Siakam got brutally honest following his side’s heartbreaking loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals as the Pacer explained how his time with the Pacers reignited his joy and love for Basketball following a bad stint with the Toronto Raptors.
“Obviously there’s no moral victory but… I’m super proud of everyone… I really do love these guys.” 🗣️
Pascal Siakam talks regaining his “joy for the game” as an Indiana Pacer 💛 pic.twitter.com/5vIqGU9Tt8
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 23, 2025
“A couple of years for me, you know, Basketball it was kind of dark for me and just, not fun, and I got traded here, and these guys gave me a boost, playing with these guys has been incredibly, just finding my joy for the game,” Siakam explained.
Siakam joined the Pacers in the 2023-24 season, ending an eight-year spell with the Raptors after being drafted 27th overall in 2016 and winning a championship with them in 2019. He parted amicably with them as they looked to refocus under a more youthful core.
“I didn’t think this was possible because of the situation I was in, and just to see how amazing we did and all the things that we accomplished, obviously there’s no moral victory because we want to win and we thought we did a lot to, but i’m super proud of everyone.”
One of the defining moments in the game seven clash between the Thunder and the Pacers was the injury suffered by star player Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a right calf injury in the opening minutes of the clash.
Tyrese Haliburton on crutches greeting his teammates 🥺 pic.twitter.com/a3xhHFeqgf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 23, 2025
“He was in the locker room, talking to everyone. And just how selfless he is, He’s going through some tough times, and he looked out for us, and he wanted to be there for us.” Siakam explained, claiming that the Pacers star was one of the reasons he signed.
“He’s one of the big reasons I’m here, and he made it super fun for me to be here.” The 31-year-old explained during the press conference that the two were the most standout players for the Pacers during their run to the finals.
“I really do love these guys, and I’m super appreciative of the opportunity to be here. It kinda gave me that joy for the game again. I’m super grateful for that.”
Despite ultimately losing out in game seven in the most devastating fashion, the 2024-25 season has been one of the most memorable years in Pacers history. Defying the odds at every turn, it’ll certainly be a season Siakam and Pacers fans look back on fondly.
