NBA FINALS: THUNDER VS. PACERS

June 11, 2025

Pascal Siakam

Indiana Pacers

Game 3: Postgame

Indiana Pacers 116, Oklahoma City Thunder 107

Q. Pascal, the first thing Rick said is, "That's who we are, that's who we have to be." When do you feel this team started to buy into the identity of what we saw most of the night tonight?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I think since I've been here, it's been what we've been doing and now that's one of the things that attracted me to be here, the style of play, the fast pace. That's just who I've always been. It was a good matchup, a good pair, and I feel like since I've been here, that's who we've been.

Q. We hear so much about how great Oklahoma City's defense is, and maybe you're trying to look and hunt for the perfect shot in the first two games. Did it feel like you were much more intentional of finding a good shot and going with that, as opposed to maybe running the shot clock down and trying to find something perfect?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, I don't think that was our game plan. I mean, if you say it is, then maybe it is.

But I think we're just trying to play basketball. Obviously, we know how good they are as a team, but at the same time it's just got to be us and I think that's what we try to do.

Q. When you look at the way Obi impacts the game from being a big, running the floor like that, how does he give you all energy? And, seriously, when you see him dunk the ball, are you like maybe God just gave that to him and a few others?

PASCAL SIAKAM: No, he's gifted. We know what he can do and he's one of the fastest out there in the league as a big to run the floor. He's perfect for what we want to do, and obviously, yeah, it's crazy.

I just love when he's aggressive. Playing defense, running, and again, using his athleticism to just get in the paint, rebound, anything that he can do out there as a big that can move.

He's been great for us, and yeah, the whole bench, not just Obi, but the whole bench tonight was really great and they affected the game and they played with so much energy, T.J., Bennedict, Thomas even, for a couple of minutes. Ben Shep. Yeah, it was great. I think we need that from them for sure.

Q. Obviously you got the first three buckets of the game. How important was it for you to get started and established early and what do you feel like you guys did better collectively in getting the ball in the paint and being able to clear out space for you guys to operate?

PASCAL SIAKAM: We were more aggressive, playing fast and moving the ball and just attacking, simple as that.

Q. What did you see from Bennedict that allowed him to approach the game mentally and have the night he did?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I think he was great being aggressive. That's who we want him to be and when he's aggressive, he's active on defense. He's picking a full court. He's cutting. Like when he's doing that, I mean, it looks easy out there for him.

So we just want him to keep that same mindset and energy every single day and I know that, again, his minutes might be here and there. He just keeps going. That's what we're going to need from him.

Q. There are nights when Tyrese impacts the game greatly with his playmaking alone and nights like tonight where the scoring element comes, too. How much of a difference does it make when he adds the scoring on top of passing and playmaking?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Ty's got to do him. That's what he's got to do, he's got to be himself every time he's out on the floor. He can impact the game in so many ways. So I'm really not worried about his scoring. I just know that he's going to make the right play.

But when he's intentional about doing that every single play, I know something good is going to happen. So as long as he keeps doing that, we're going to be all right.

Q. This series you've had to overcome double-digit deficits, and while you're good at it, how much different is late-game scenarios when it's even or you guys have the lead, what does that enable you guys to do late and have success?

PASCAL SIAKAM: We want to continue to play our game, and obviously in any game, when you're down 20, it's hard. We've got to continue to just play to our strengths and fight till the end, and whether we're up or down, like our level of intensity got to be the same. But obviously helps that, you know, you're not having to have comebacks and things like that.

Just continue to fight, fight through every, adversity, when they get hot, we've got to keep playing and you know hopefully it's a close game and we can win at the end, which is good.

Q. Great stop on Shai and you beat him down the floor. Your work ethic is well renowned. How much of the Finals, that opportunity to push harder and get that stop and beat him down the floor, how much does that impact what you guys are doing?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, I think that's who we are is our effort. We have guys that's just going to continue to fight and the days where we do that, we put ourselves in a good position every single night we do that.

For me personally, again, that's why I'm here. I want to continue to breathe spirit to this team. And I think somebody asked me a question the other day about, oh, nobody scored 20 points yet against -- like that's not what we're focused on. That's not what I'm focused on. I want to continue to do everything that I can for my team to win, and if that means guarding, running fast, trying to get a rebound there, diving on the floor, whatever the case might be, that's all I'm going to do, and I think that's what makes us special. We have guys that's willing to do that every single night.

Q. T.J. McConnell, five steals tonight, three of them off inbounds leading directly to baskets. What does that kind of boost give you guys?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, when T.J. is playing with that type of energy, I mean, obviously the crowd loves him. So it's great for us because every time he does something good, they go crazy.

He's just so dynamic in terms of running the floor for us, getting us in position and when you add those steals and just bringing the crowd into the game the way he does, he was special tonight. It wasn't about scoring.

It was just about his energy and the things that he did, like just getting steals, getting us in position, finding people in cutting situations.

So yeah, shout out T.J. for sure.