Haliburton Reacts to Siakam Poster, Says Pacers Troll Him 'for Not Dunking Anymore'
Pascal Siakam's ferocious poster slam over Jalen Williams late in the second quarter of Game 6 of the NBA Finals not only helped catapult the Indiana Pacers to a 108-91 win, but also got his teammates off his back for not dunking anymore.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Tyrese Haliburton called Siakam's dunk a "special moment" before joking Pacers players "are always getting on Pascal for not dunking anymore."
Siakam said after the win the dunk was reminiscent of a play from his college days that Pacers assistant general manager Chad Buchanan showed him recently.
"(Buchanan) showed one of my college highlights the other day, (and it) felt like college a little bit," Siakam explained. "Just baby bounce. But sometimes that happens. I was just trying to bring the crowd into the game."
The dunk definitely worked to get the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse out of their seats. It came as part of a 30-9 run for the Pacers over the final 8:29 of the second quarter that helped them open up a 22-point lead going into halftime.
Haliburton did note he has not yet discussed the dunk with Siakam and might wait until after the series is over to do so, noting that play could have been a key moment if the Pacers go on to win the NBA title.
"Honestly, me and Pascal have not spoken about this play yet," Haliburton said. "I don't know if we will until this is over. ... If we are fortunate enough to go on and win this thing, I think that play will be remembered for a long time."
The Pacers' win came after a lot of concern about Haliburton's availability for Thursday's game. He was dealing with a calf injury suffered in Game 5 and underwent an MRI prior Game 6.
Haliburton went through shootaround prior to Game 6 and determined he was healthy enough to play. The two-time All-Star didn't have his best game with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting and five assists in 23 minutes, but he got plenty of support from his teammates.
Six players scored in double-figures for the Pacers, led by Obi Toppin's 20 points off the bench. Siakam had his first double-double since Game 1 with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Indiana's win means the NBA Finals will be decided in Game 7 for the first time since 2016. The Thunder will host the series finale on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
