The Pacers have done it.
Indiana is heading to its first NBA Finals since 2000 to play the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It’s been an impressive run to this point. After taking down Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the first round, the Pacers defeated the 64-win Cavaliers in the second round. Then, they defeated the Knicks for the second year in a row.
After the win in Game 6, some eyebrows were raised when the ECF MVP was announced. While Tyrese Haliburton is widely considered to be Indiana’s best player, he didn’t earn the award.
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Why didn’t Tyrese Haliburton win ECF MVP?
Social media was confused when they heard Pascal Siakam’s name announced instead of Haliburton for ECF MVP.
Both played very good series and contributed in their own ways to help the Pacers win key games.
Siakam scored over 30 points in three wins in the series, with one being a clutch 39-point performance in a Game 2 win at MSG.
This was a critical game to win after just barely beating the Knicks in a comeback in Game 1.
PASCAL SIAKAM DROPS A PLAYOFF-CAREER HIGH 39 POINTS 🔥
PACERS TAKE 2-0 EAST FINALS LEAD 📈👀
6 straight road playoff wins for Indiana! pic.twitter.com/3X2F5ZaGkw
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2025
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Siakam was very efficient in the series, shooting under 50 percent just twice.
Haliburton averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. Compared to Siakam’s averages of 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, it might appear that Haliburton was robbed.
Haliburton’s quiet Game 5 performance in a loss may have hurt him, but he was unbelievable in other parts of the series.
His Game 1 game-tying shot single-handedly might have been the reason they won this series.
WHAT A SHOT BY TYRESE HALIBURTON 🤯🤯🤯 https://t.co/8wEwdkeRwZ pic.twitter.com/s497GwRWi9
— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2025
After going down 2-1, Haliburton exploded in a huge Game 4 win with a historic performance of 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists and 4 steals, all on no turnovers.
Haliburton had four games of at least 14 points and 11 assists in the series.
Both players had a couple of down games, but Haliburton still managed to have a plus-minus in the positives for four games, and his only two negative ones were a -1 and -2.
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The voting was very close, with Siakam getting five votes and Haliburton getting four for the trophy.
I doubt the players will bicker over it, as they have a larger task at hand, but Haliburton has to be asking himself how he didn’t come away with the trophy.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals will take place this Thursday on ABC, as the Pacers look to capture an early road win once again.
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