The Pacers are on the road Wednesday night to face the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the second straight postseason that Indiana and New York will meet.
Ahead of Game 1, NBA analysts have debated the most important players in this series. On Tuesday, former NBA all-star Gilbert Arenas went on ESPN’s First Take. Arenas argued that Pacers’ Pascal Siakam has not taken a “leap” forward in his basketball career. He said that Siakam should be the team’s #1 scoring option when in reality it’s Tyrese Haliburton.
Pascal Siakam needs to step up in a big way for the Indiana Pacers in the ECF
Gilbert Arenas says Pascal Siakam never took that ‘leap’ in his basketball career
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 20, 2025
Gilbert Arenas discussed the most important #2 option in the conference final with ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday. The former player argued that Pacers’ Paskal Siakam should not be discussed as a #1 scoring option. However, Siakam hasn’t taken that “leap” in his career. When Indiana needs a bucket, Tyrese Haliburton has been their go-to guy in the postseason. Arenas argued that it’s difficult for the star PG to also be the team’s #1 scoring option.
He told First Take that he believed Pascal Siakam would be Indiana’s go-to guy offensively. His 20.2 points per game led the team in the regular season. However, it was only two points better than Haliburton. In the 2025 playoffs, the gap is even narrower between Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. That’s why Gilbert Arenas argued the Pacers have no chance to win if Haliburton cannot step up offensively.
Indiana’s biggest strength in the playoffs is its depth. Six players average double-digit points per game this postseason for the Pacers. Head coach Rick Carlisle will rely on his rotation. To beat the New York Knicks, the Pacers will need someone to step up and take over offensively. Can Pascal Siakam be that player for Indiana? Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. EST on TNT.
