Before Pascal Siakam was in Indy, the Pacers star, Tyrese Haliburton, stood up from the dinner table in Atlanta and hit up the Toronto forward. His one mission? Get the Cameroonian star to Indy. The one-hour call “so aligned on wanting to win” turned into a chemistry that we see today. As the point guard puts it, “that’s a part of why we are where we are.” No doubt that the forward has elevated this team, being both the support and the fire that this franchise, heading into the NBA Finals in 25 years, needed.

Remember the Pacers’ Eastern Conference win? Pascal took the MVP title of the series against the New York Knicks, taking home the Larry Bird trophy in a tight 5–4 vote over none other than Tyrese Haliburton. Despite fans making funny videos of how the point guard was expecting to take the trophy to his home, he instead ensured the forward had his time with the trophy he earned with his 24.8 points per game in the 6-game series. His team-high 20.2 points and 6.9 points per game also show what he can really do. However, the criticism doesn’t end.

Ahead of Game 3, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley made his thoughts clear– “They put a little munchkin on [Siakam] in the post and he’s dribbling 10 times? That’s ridiculous!… Don’t let that little dude guard you in the post.” And after Sunday’s brutal loss in OKC, the Pacers needed their superstars to step up tonight. In what turned out to be a chase of a game, the duo did what they do best– combining for an impressive 43 points to lead the Pacers to a nine-point victory. The Pacers now earned their very first Finals win at home, leading the series 2-1 over the Thunder. But Barkley still has doubts. But Hali did what he does best and defended his teammate.

When Haliburton joined the NBA TV crew for a postgame interview, Barkley asked him, “What is the deal with Siakam? Why he go from passive to aggressive from game to game? ‘Cause you know, he was fantastic tonight. You got going later and early, obviously. But why is he so, up and down as far as just being aggressive?”

As expected, Tyrese quickly jumped in to defend his co-star, pushing back on Barkley’s claim, “You know, I don’t think that’s a fair assessment to be honest with you. I think the way that they guard, he operates so well in the mid post. But you gotta understand when he is catching in the mid post, they’re talking about rotating the guy fully from the baseline. They just got hands and they’re swarming the ball. So, we just trying to make reads and play the right way.

“Thought he did a great job operating today. It’s hard when you catch it at the nail where he really likes to operate, the way they guard is just boxes and elbows. We gotta do a much better job of giving him the correct spacing and just figuring it out. But I think from game to game, just taking what defense gives you. I thought he did a great job setting the tone. We just followed his lead.”

In the first two games at OKC, Pascal did not play at a superstar level, totaling merely 34 points. On Sunday, he was highly inefficient, shooting 3 of 11 from the floor. Of course, this is compared to his multiple previous outings against the Knicks with 30+ points. But he regained his form tonight in Indiana, finishing with 21 points and six rebounds on 8 of 14 shooting from the field.

Yes, Siakam is strongest when he is close to the basket, but OKC’s elite defense has not allowed him to be as effective all the time. And instead of blaming Pascal, Tyrese took accountability for being unable to create better looks for his co-star.

If Tyrese’s disagreement with Chuck was not evident from his response, co-panelist Grant Hill made it clear by saying, “Chuck, that’s a polite way of saying he doesn’t agree with you. What you’re saying is wrong.” Even Hali couldn’t help but smile at the remark. Of course, Siakam is not the only Pacers star dealing with consistency issues. Tyrese is on the same boat and was able to overcome it tonight.

Tyrese Haliburton reveals preparation against OKC’s defense in Game 3

Similar to Siakam, Tyrese also struggled in OKC. He totaled only 31 points in the first two games and was having a hard time making plays for his teammates, delivering 12 assists combined. After Sunday’s loss, he vowed to be better in Game 3, “I just got to figure out how to be better earlier in games. Kudos to them, they’re a great defensive team. But (I will) watch the film, see where I can get better.” When he stepped on the floor tonight, he kept his word, grazing a triple-double with 22-points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Haliburton later revealed how he was able to overcome the struggles he faced in OKC, “I think just being aggressive, it’s not about shooting so many shots, trying to get downhill, trying to get two feet in the paint I think it’s my job as a point guard. Then from there I can figure it out. So, just trying to make the adjustments that I’ve been watching a lot of film over the last couple days, preparing.

“Just trying to make adjustments on the fly. Not every game’s gonna be perfect. Gonna have rough games but it’s all about how I respond. And how we respond as a group.”

Well, the NBA Finals are bound to be an up and down series and as long as the Pacers are on the winning side, Haliburton and Siakam are unlikely to be affected by outside claims such as Barkley’s. Thoughts?