Pascal Siakam comes through, leads Pacers to 21-point win over Nets
On an off night for Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers' offense, Pascal Siakam stepped up and was the star they needed. They were +40 in the paint and forced 21 turnovers.
One game after Pacers forward Pascal Siakam went 3 for 4 during his final 13:34 on the court in an overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls, he came out assertive and provided the team with exactly what they needed.
Siakam scored 10 points each in the second and fourth quarters, and he finished with a game-high 28 points and 11 rebounds in helping the Pacers pound the Brooklyn Nets 121-100 on Saturday night.
Oddly, in game 68 for the Pacers (38-30) this season, it was their first time facing the Nets (26-41) with two more meetings over the final 14 games. And in a game that didn’t match the traditional blueprint for a Pacers win, Siakam picked up the slack offensively to propel them back into the win column after three losses in their last four home games.
Siakam, in his 27th game since being acquired, looked more comfortable than he has and it started early with four quick points, two rebounds and two steals before exiting with two fouls.
“He needed to slow down a little bit at halftime and into the second half,” head coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. “He played a great overall game and defensively, he had his best game. It wasn’t even close.
“And this is what the top players have to do. These guys have to set the tone.”