Can Pascal Siakam Lead Indiana Past Oklahoma Citys Tough Defense in NBA Finals?

The Indiana Pacers entered the 2025 NBA Finals with a reputation for their high-powered offense, averaging 119.7 points per 100 non-garbage-time possessions through the first three rounds of the playoffs. However, in the first two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers' interior scoring has taken a hit, as the Thunder's league-best defense has held them to just 109.3 points-per-100. One of the Pacers' key offensive weapons is Pascal Siakam, a big, quick, lithe, aggressive and active three-level scorer who earned recognition as the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference finals victory. However, against the Thunder, Siakam has struggled to find his rhythm, averaging 17 points on 13 shots per game through two Finals contests. The Thunder's Alex Caruso and Jalen Williams have been particularly effective in disrupting Siakam's game. Despite Siakam's struggles against Oklahoma City, he has still been able to beat their swarm at times in this series. The Pacers found some success playing through him in their stunning Game 1 win and for a brief burst in the second quarter of Game 2. However, Indiana hasn't been able to consistently feature Siakam as a dominant force in the series so far. Tyrese Haliburton, who had one of the most frustrating postseason performances in Game 2, acknowledged in his postgame news conference that the Pacers need to do a better job of getting to the paint. "It's a lot easier said than done," he added. The Thunder's defense starts with pressuring the ball before it crosses half-court, stopping teams from scoring in transition and setting their defense. This makes it harder for teams to get to the paint in the first place. The Pacers' offensive strategy has been to mix things up, as Haliburton explained. "You can't give these guys the same dosage, the same look of anything. If you try to run high pick-and-roll all game, they just crawl into you, really pack the paint, nothing is open. There's got to be a mix of things." The Thunder's big man Chet Holmgren has been controlling actions such as screens and slide-outs to make it harder for teams to get to the paint. In conclusion, while the Indiana Pacers have shown flashes of their high-powered offense in this series, they will need to find a way to consistently get to the paint and overcome the Thunder's stingy defense if they are going to have a chance at winning this year's NBA Finals.