There’s a reason every NBA team wants “veteran leadership” in the locker room, and no, it’s not just to keep the aux cord away from 19-year-olds with SoundCloud dreams. Sometimes, what you really need is a no-nonsense, no celebration until it’s done kind of guy who treats every possession like it’s Game 7. And Pascal Siakam? He’s that guy. You know—the one at the party who reminds everyone they have work at 8 AM. But what if I told you that buzzkill energy is exactly why the Pacers are on the verge of something historic?

After Indiana’s thrilling 130-121 Game 4 win over the New York Knicks, Siakam dropped the kind of truth bomb that would make Popovich proud and Jimmy Butler nod in approval.

“Yes sir, yes sir, you hit it on the head. I think I always tell the guys I’m always kind of like the guy that takes away the fun a little bit,” he told reporters. “Just, you know, because when everyone’s celebrating, I’m just so, so focused on we got to move on to the next play.” While the squad’s out here doing the NBA Jam “he’s on fire” celebrations, Pascal’s already analyzing matchups for the next possession.

“We got to be even-keeled… We haven’t done anything yet, We know how crazy it’s going to be out there in the Garden and we got to be ready… not too high with the highs, not too low with the lows.” This is the kind of “Kawhi-calm” that championship runs are built on. And remember, Siakam’s been here before—dude was a key piece of the 2019 Raptors team that broke the NBA’s “Warriors-only” Finals streak. So when he says the job isn’t done, you best believe it.

Let’s not overlook the numbers. Siakam wasn’t just giving locker room sermons—he was cooking like it was MasterChef: Madison Square Garden edition. He dropped 30 points in Game 4, shot with the efficiency of a prime Ray Allen on decaf (54.1% from the field, 50% from three over the series), and grabbed clutch rebounds like his arms were Inspector Gadget-certified. In the final minutes, he snagged two offensive boards that screamed “I want this more than you” at the Knicks frontcourt.

Forget spacing the floor—Pascal was warping it. Oh, and let’s sprinkle in some context: the Pacers are now up 3-1, and teams that have faced that kind of deficit? Only 13 of 288 in league history have come back from it. That’s 4.5%, with no one managing it since 2020, per Steve Aschburner of NBA.com. Good luck, Knicks!

We can’t talk about Game 4 without bowing at the altar of Tyrese Haliburton. The man joined Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokic as the only players in NBA playoff history with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 15+ assists in a game. Except Haliburton did it with zero turnovers and four steals—basically adding Kawhi defense to Magic Johnson’s offense.

By halftime, he was rubbing statistical shoulders with Russell Westbrook. By the final whistle, he’d given MSG a stat line worthy of a shrine. And just like Pascal, Haliburton came into this game with something to prove after shouldering blame for the Game 3 collapse. He was the first one in the gym and the last one out, a real “Mamba mentality” night if there ever was one.

Not just Pascal Siakam, but other Pacers stepped up, too

Aaron Nesmith—aka “I Promise I’m Fine” guy—shook off a Game 3 ankle sprain and came out looking like a sprinter at the Olympics. He dropped 16 points, made Brunson’s life miserable on defense, and finished with a team-best +20. And how about Bennedict Mathurin, the forgotten man of the series? Carlisle said, “He’s ready,” and Mathurin basically screamed “YOU DAMN RIGHT” with a 20-point night in just 12 minutes of floor time. That’s microwave scorer energy à la Lou Williams with a better vertical.

Fun fact: The Knicks are better on the road than they are at home this postseason. Not ideal, considering Game 5 is back at Madison Square Garden, where they’re just 3-5 in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Indiana is 6-1 on the road this postseason. If they close this out Thursday, the Pacers will be headed to their second-ever NBA Finals. And you know who’ll be the first guy NOT celebrating too early? Yep—Pascal Siakam. Clipboard in one hand, poker face on, already thinking two rounds ahead.

Siakam isn’t the guy leading conga lines or hyping up the tunnel cam. But he’s the guy who gets teams through the minefields of May and June. And in a playoffs full of superstars dropping memes, Siakam’s just out here dropping buckets, boards, and truth. Millennial fans? You’ve seen Tim Duncan do it. You’ve seen Chauncey Billups do it.

Now you’re seeing Pascal Siakam bring that same quiet storm to Indiana. And guess what? He’s not done yet.