The Indiana Pacers completely flipped the script against the Milwaukee Bucks, stealing control of the first-round series with their Game 2 victory.
Now, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks not only must steal back a game in Indianapolis, they have a problem that they truly have no answer for on the defensive end.
Pascal Siakam is doing whatever he wants scoring the basketball versus Milwaukee. This is why Indiana traded for Siakam back in January, acquiring him from the Toronto Raptors in an aggressive win-now move so he could calm the waters during these critical do-or-die moments. Not only is Siakam doing that, he’s far and away been the best player in this series.
“He just doesn’t get rattled,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after Game 2. “He’s a unique player. His experience shows, and he had a lot of big plays for us tonight.”
Without Antetokounmpo, who has been ruled out for Game 3 and listed as doubtful for Game 4, the Pacers quickly realized that force-feeding Siakam is the absolutely perfect way to go. The numbers for Siakam are jarring: 36.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 blocks while carrying an elite 67.9% true shooting percentage on high volume (31.7% usage rate).
Siakam’s hot postseason start puts him in rare air, as he became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 to produce consecutive 35-point and 10-rebound opening games.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers can continue putting the slower-footed Brook Lopez or smaller Khris Middleton on Siakam, but neither has been very effective. Siakam has shot 12-of-18 (66.7%) from the field when guarded by Lopez and 9-of-12 (75%) from the field while defended by Middleton. Getting Antetokounmpo back is the only remedy to cooling down the former All-NBA forward.
Indiana allowing Siakam to carry the heavy scoring burden has paid off in spades, especially with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has struggled finding a consistent offensive rhythm.
“Just taking what’s out there,” Siakam said. “I don’t feel like I’m trying anything or forcing anything… Just not thinking about it and taking whatever is there.”
For a Pacers team that lacks postseason experience, Siakam’s calming presence and all-out energy on both ends are huge. If Indiana can take care of business against Milwaukee, the Pacers suddenly look like a real threat to go on a surprisingly deep postseason run.
“He’s playing unbelievable,” Haliburton said of Siakam. “He’s just doing a good job of taking what the defense gives him.”
How can the Bucks stop Siakam from torching them in the mid-range and around the basket? To be honest, there isn’t really a great answer without Antetokounmpo roaming the court. Indiana’s starting lineup is outscoring Milwaukee’s unit by 23.4 points per 100 possessions without the former MVP. That big of a difference, even with Damian Lillard’s hot starts in both games, is a dooming forecast for the Bucks the rest of the way.
The Pacers surrendered three future first-round picks (two in 2024 and one in 2026) for Siakam, and the 30-year-old is proving why he was worth the haul.
You have to wonder if interested teams like the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings that didn't even make the playoffs are kicking themselves for not making a more aggressive push to acquire Siakam.
