Three-Time NBA Champion Singles Out Pascal Siakam Amid Finals

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 10:17 PM ET

Indiana’s Cinderella run to the NBA Finals has captured the league’s attention. After entering the playoffs as a No. 4 seed following a successful 50-32 campaign during the regular season, the Pacers knocked off the 64-win Cavaliers in Round 2 and the No. 3 Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, for the first time since 2000, the Pacers enter the finals where they meet the Oklahoma City Thunder on basketball’s biggest stage.

Pascal Siakam has been central to that surge. In the 2024-25 regular season, he averaged 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three over 78 games.

Former Toronto Raptors teammate Danny Green didn’t mince words when previewing Game 4.

“This is the most important game for everybody on that floor outside of Pascal Siakam,” Green said, singling out Siakam’s Finals experience.

"This is the most important game for everybody on that floor outside of Pascal Siakam."@DGreen_14 speaks on how important Game 4 is for many players. pic.twitter.com/7n9Nlm9CRS
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 13, 2025

Green knows Siakam better than most, as they shared the court as teammates on Toronto Raptor’s 2019 championship run under coach Nick Nurse. In Game 1 of the 2019 Finals, Siakam erupted for 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting to defeat the Stephen Curry led Golden State Warriors. Over that series, he averaged 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, aiding Kawhi Leonard in route to Toronto's first NBA Finals championship in franchise history.

Siakam’s journey—from a 27th-overall pick in 2016 to a three-time All-Star—has been marked by constant growth. Under coach Rick Carlisle, Siakam has embraced an expanded leadership role, guiding Indiana’s balanced attack alongside Tyrese Haliburton.

As Game 4 approaches, Green’s message underscores a simple truth: Indiana’s Finals success hinges on Siakam sustaining that championship pedigree. If he replicates the energy and efficiency he showed in Toronto—and the Pacers’ supporting cast holds up—Indiana could write the next chapter in one of the NBA’s most improbable title quests.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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