How do you keep smiling when the dream dies in front of your eyes? Ask Pascal Siakam. The Pacers forward, still processing the sting of a Game 7 Finals loss, didn’t talk about missed shots or defensive breakdowns in the aftermath. Instead, he talked about healing. About joy. About Tyrese Haliburton.
In an emotional post-game message, Siakam poured his heart out, not just about the loss but about the teammate who unknowingly helped him rediscover himself. “A couple years ago… basketball was just, yeah, it was kind of dark for me,” Siakam confessed. “I lost that [joy] for a while. And it’s just so incredible that I came to a team like these guys.”
While the box score shows OKC taking the championship with a 103–91 victory over Indiana, the story behind the numbers runs deeper. Haliburton didn’t play much in Game 7, ruled out with a lower leg injury. But his fingerprints were everywhere… on the team’s chemistry, on their fight, and on Siakam’s spirit. “He made it kind of super fun for me to be here,” Siakam said. “Just playing with this guy has been so incredible… just playing with so much swagger and happiness.”
Haliburton’s early Finals brilliance, especially in Game 1, had the NBA world buzzing. He looked every bit the franchise face Indiana bet on. But a calf strain in Game 5 derailed the momentum. When he limped out of the tunnel in Game 7, the weight of that moment shifted dramatically. Still, the Pacers fought. TJ McConnell and Pascal Siakam combined for 32 points. The defense hung tough. But OKC, led by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a breakout night from Jalen Williams, simply had more in the tank. But Siakam wasn’t done reflecting. Far from it.
“I’m proud of that kid,” he said about Haliburton in the post-game interview. “He went through so much during the year—a lot of criticism… for a young kid to go through… he just kept battling, man. He kept fighting every single day. He did some incredible things this playoff run.” That fight, that joy, that love for the game? It rubbed off.
Haliburton, even injured, showed up in the locker room, speaking to his teammates. “Just how selfless he is… he looked out for us… it’s one of the big reasons I’m here.” It’s easy to forget how bleak things looked for Siakam post-Toronto. Traded mid-season, he landed in Indiana with questions swirling. Would he stay? Would he click with Haliburton? Now, his answer is on the record a little louder that this place saved him. And the fans? They mattered too.
Pascal Siakam is home
“Thank you so much to the fans… I have flashbacks just how amazing the crowd was,” Siakam added. “We wanted to make Indiana proud. We tried our best… and I love every single one of these guys. I wouldn’t go to battle with anybody else.” This was truly a miraculous season by the Pacers.
Indiana wasn’t supposed to be here. They limped into the All-Star break amid doubts and injuries. But after catching fire, they clawed through the East, backed by a core that included Siakam, Haliburton, Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard, and a second unit that refused to blink. But something isn’t quite adding up in this NBA Finals Game 7 win of the Oklahoma City Thunder. No, really.
Just hours before tip-off, a supposed “NBA script” leak made the rounds online, predicting a dramatic 131-128 Pacers victory, and social media took it and ran. Fans called it rigged, said the league had already chosen its storyline, and some even placed bets based on that leak. But fast forward to the final buzzer, and the Thunder walked away as… champions? The final score?
May 12, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and center Myles Turner (33) guard Andrew Nembhard (2) celebrate a made basket during game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Not even close to the script. So what happened? Did the leak force the NBA to pivot? Was it a scare tactic to protect the league’s image? Or, crazy idea—was OKC simply the better team, grinding their way to a title with effort, poise, and clutch execution? That too, with Haliburton ruled out with a right leg injury? Were the basketball gods really team OKC tonight? Either way, Haliburton fought. Hard.
Game 7 may be over. The box score may have crowned OKC. But for Indiana, this season ended with something equally powerful: connection. Legacy. And the kind of bond that doesn’t fade with a final buzzer.
Pascal Siakam didn’t just find his jump shot in Indiana. He found himself. And Haliburton? Even sidelined, he showed the world why he’s the future of this franchise. This one stings. But Indiana’s got a core and a heart that’s built for more than just one run. Their time’s coming again. And you can feel it in every word Siakam said.
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