If there’s anything to take away from the Pacers’ triumph in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s that they possess a wealth of talent that flies under the radar of superstardom. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton made his mark during this playoff run, but the fact that Pascal Siakam won the EC Finals MVP highlights just how well-built this Pacers team is. And although many fans believe Hali deserved the honor over his teammate, Shannon Sharpe disagrees.
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Yes, Haliburton led his team in almost every statistical category except points scored, but Siakam was the more consistent of the two. Not only was he the Pacers’ leading scorer in the series, but his timely buckets in all six games helped the team maintain momentum. The fact that he had three 30-point performances certainly bolsters his case.
Sharpe acknowledged that voting for ECF MVP might have seemed difficult on the surface, but upon reviewing the games, it was clear that Siakam did more for the team in high-pressure moments than Haliburton did.
“That game he had 39, was it Game 2? Game 4 he had another 30-point game? Tonight, he had another 30-point game?” Sharpe said while talking about Siakam on the Nightcap podcast. “If Haliburton had won, I wouldn’t have been disappointed. I can make a compelling argument for either guy. Somebody had to win.”
Unc also made sure Haliburton’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed, despite him missing out on the award. Comparing him to LeBron James and Nikola Jokic, Sharpe said, “I mean, Haliburton tried to pull a LeBron! Tried to pull a Jokic! Tried to lead his team in everything!”
Siakam made timely plays for the Pacers throughout the series. Every single game was built on runs, and Siakam was crucial in puncturing the Knicks’ momentum with his plays. Be it a timely rebound, a steal, or a tough bucket, Siakam was equally as important to Indy this series, if more than Haliburton.
Plus, Siakam used his championship-winning experience from his time with the Raptors to his advantage, delivering when it mattered the most — something Sharpe also pointed out in the podcast. In particular, he shed light on Game 2, where Siakam scored 39 to help the Pacers go up 2-0 in the series.
That said, neither Siakam nor Haliburton would’ve been too disappointed had they lost out on the award, because they both have their eyes set on the bigger target- the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The pursuit for the same begins Thursday night with Game 1 in Oklahoma.
