Pascal Siakam is the key to the Indiana Pacers playoff success both on and off the court

Siakam will be important in the postseason

Feb 6, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) celebrates a made basket. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have three players on their roster with NBA Finals experience, but they only have one champion. It's Pascal Siakam, the two-time All-Star who was a key part of the title winning 2019 Toronto Raptors.

He has reached the NBA's summit. Siakam has more than one deep playoff run, and he's averaged nearly 23 points per game in a postseason before. He's not just some champion — he's a terrific player who also has a ring.

On a young Pacers team getting their first taste of the playoffs as a group, he has become an extremely valuable voice. "It helps to have a guy like Pascal who has won a title as well kind of guiding us through this week and guiding us getting ready," Pacers wing Doug McDermott said on Friday. Guys are naturally curious about the playoffs, and Siakam is leading by example.

Siakam has experienced just about every emotion that comes with the postseason in his career. He's been a reserve on the outside of his team's rotation. He came off the bench with a meaningful second unit role. The 30-year old was a starter for a championship team, and he was a starter on teams that lost in the first and second round. He knows what just about every outcome feels like.

The eight-year veteran is now key to Indiana for more than just his immense talent. He's also an important voice, and his example is meaningful. "Our leadership has been consistent all year long. It's been Tyrese [Haliburton], Myles [Turner], Pascal since he's come on board really is a leader by example. He's relatively new to our situation, so he immersed himself in this thing gradually," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Friday.

During the regular season, Siakam's play shined. He was a terrific scorer who dropped in 21.3 points per game. His rebounding (7.8 per game) on both ends was vital. The variety of shots he can hit and players he can defend make him a snug fit on a developing Indiana team.

Those skills will still be important come playoff time. But the fact that he's on a developing team means his intangibles will become essential, too. What he can give his team is advice, presence, and the right attitude for any situation. He's a vital piece for the Pacers in the postseason.

"Obviously, I have that experience. So I'm just making sure that we stay calm through it all," Siakam said of his messaging. "Not get too high with the highs and not get too low with the lows. That's the playoffs." The eight-year vet wants to make sure his team forgets about the regular season and is ready for series-style play. Frequent adjustments make things more difficult and mentally taxing. "Everything is laser focused on this," he said.

Siakam has been through the ups and downs before. He had efficient postseasons in a small role and inefficient playoffs in a bigger role. In 2022, he put it all together and averaged 22.8 points per game on 47.7% from the field. His experiences have formed his mentality, which he is now sharing with his teammates.

"You've just got to be able to stay calm. I think there's experience of that that just makes you feel that way," he said. He's been swept before, been upset in Game 1 before, and came back from down 2-0 in a series. Going through all that was formative, and it will help him guide the Pacers now.

"I have to be that calming presence for most of the time. I think the coaches, everyone, we've just got to make sure that we're not getting too high when things are going well and not getting too low when they're not. It's going to be a series," Siakam explained. "You're going to make mistakes, there's going to be good things. There's going to be a lot. If you focus on every emotion and try to ride every emotion, you're not going to get anywhere."

The playoffs are detail oriented. Teams lock in on their opponents and what they hope to do. They plan for the adjustments and counters. Little things become everything.

It also means every mistake is magnified and more important. Players have to move on from them and continue to play hard, and having someone like Siakam there to keep perspective and be a calming presence will be important. Indiana has three players in their rotation who haven't been in the postseason before. They'll lean on their star forward.

"We don't have a whole lot of playoff experience, but we have a lot of hungry guys," Carlisle said.

Siakam took for granted what it feels like to be in the playoffs. He participated during the first four seasons of his career, but this is just his second time in the field since that stretch. He's happy to be back — and he's battled Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks before.

Now, his experiences all come together to make him a key piece for the blue and gold. As one of the Pacers best players, Siakam will be important in the postseason thanks to his abilities. As a veteran who has been there, done that in the playoffs, his voice will be an asset to Indiana. In every way, Pascal Siakam is a key player for the Pacers in the coming weeks. How he carries himself on and off the court will go a long way in shaping his team's success.

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