Nobody could have predicted the meteoric rise of the Indiana Pacers in the recent 2024-25 campaign.
Sure, they were considered likely playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, but I doubt many predicted a path all the way to the NBA Finals. Yet, when you have a team composed of unselfish players, an absurd amount of depth across the board, led by veteran head coach Rick Carlisle, and especially a boost from one of the game's most skillful point guards, Tyrese Haliburton, it becomes clear that this might have been a recipe for success that simply flew over a lot of people's heads.
And while it was nearly a storybook ending to a legendary postseason run, the Thunder would dismantle the Pacers' title hopes in a gutting game seven NBA Finals defeat, which included a devastating Achilles injury for the standout, Tyrese Haliburton. Now, as we rapidly approach the 2025-26 campaign, the Indiana Pacers will look a bit different from the surprise powerhouse they recently became, with longtime center Myles Turner also parting ways with the franchise to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
I think it'll be tough for Indiana to replicate exactly what they just achieved, but I don't believe it's fair to count them out of the East playoff race so soon, especially with ex-Raptors star Pascal Siakam still on the roster, perhaps waiting for the right moment to unleash his scoring ability that made him famous in Toronto.
People will easily forget the progressive rise that Siakam endured in Toronto during the 2020s, especially after expectations reached overblown proportions in the NBA Bubble restart, when many Raptors fans hoped "Spicy P" could take the mantle with ease. But alas, that run turned a lot of people against him, and it took a while before respect was fully restored to his name.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently discussed the Pacers' need for Pascal Siakam to be their primary offensive weapon moving forward, taking the reins in Indiana to help push them over the hump. Windhorst said the following during the August 29 edition of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective on YouTube:
Pacers need scoring power of Pascal Siakam (akin to his Raptors days)
"... he's [Pascal Siakam] had a somewhat limited role in their offense since he got there. He scored more when he was in Toronto. He's sort of been more of a middleman at times. They haven't, they don't run as much stuff for him ... I mean like if you look at, three years ago in Toronto, he led the league in minutes a couple of two years in a row. He was averaging 24, 23-24 points a game. Last year he averaged 20. So, you know he could score a little bit more. And they're going to need it. They're going to need the scoring and you know they're going to play fast ..."ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Aug 29, 2025
I think during that Game 7 it was very clear that Indiana wasn't fully unleashing Pascal Siakam. Sure, TJ McConnell was trying to single-handedly save the Pacers' title hopes, and he's an absolute stud for trying to take over, but many people noticed that Rick Carlisle seemed to forget he had Siakam just waiting to be used accordingly in the offense.
Siakam's time in Toronto was far from perfect, but it showed more than anything that he deserved recognition for his ability to adapt and tweak his playstyle for the team's greater good. Siakam is a great scorer, a stout defender, a solid rebounder, can shoot the three-ball, and he also has playmaking abilities.
That’s the "Spicy P" who Raptors Nation came to love, and with the spotlight likely focused on Siakam in Indiana next year, it will be Pacers fans' chance to see this shine on full display.