NBA FINALS: THUNDER VS. PACERS

June 12, 2025

Pascal Siakam

Indiana Pacers

Practice Day

Q. Pascal, in Game 3 the box score doesn't say enough appreciation to your game. What did you see from your offense that allowed so much more cutting and action around the rim compared to the first two games?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I just thought we played our game. Against a team like that, you got to continue to play and can't get stuck. We know how good they are defensively. I think as much movement as we can have, the better.

Q. Tyrese said before the fourth quarter interview that Indiana has got to rebound and run. How much do you feel all that running bothers Oklahoma City? Do you guys intend to run even more tomorrow?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I don't know. I know that we got to play our type of game. They have great rebounders on the team. They do a great job of crashing. I think in any game, you got to try to secure the ball and try to run in transition.

Q. Tyrese was just talking about how much he asks you about your Finals run, what that was like. What kinds of questions is he asking? He said you might be getting annoyed with him. Are you?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Nah. I'm not annoyed with him. That's funny (smiling).

No, he's a student of the game. He wants to learn. He watches a lot of film. I think most of things we talk about is, yeah, about the game, how it was, certain things. I mean, I'm not going to tell you exactly what we talk about. I think just understanding the magnitude of what we're trying to accomplish, knowing how difficult it is.

To me, I just try to keep him just levelheaded, understanding there's going to be times where it doesn't go as planned. We have to find a way to overcome that.

The best advice I can give him is this thing is a long series. Being in the Finals, there's a lot going on. Try to focus as much on the game as possible.

Q. How much is Andrew Nembhard making a name for himself in this series as an elite defender?

PASCAL SIAKAM: No, I mean, I think he's been doing that all year. He's a great defender. Yeah, if it's a surprise, he does that. He's been doing it all year.

When you play against great players every single night, it is hard. It's a tough job. All he can do is just try his best. I think he's doing that.

Q. I thought last night's game, the pace and the intensity, seemed to jump. You've been in the Finals before, tight Finals, with the Warriors. Does last night compare to any of the great Finals games you had played in your first run?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I think every Finals game is intense. I mean, for most people, it's like we look at the score. If you were down this much, it means one team didn't play good, the other did better. Every possession is intense. It's physical. The crowd. Everyone's watching you. There's attention.

To me, they all feel the same in a way like how important it is and the intensity that you feel when you're on the court, no matter what the score is, whatever happens. It's physical. It's tough, gritty. It's really, really hard. You feel every single possession out there when you're on the floor.

In that sense, to me, I think there is similarities, I'll say.