After the Pacers’ Game 3 win over the Thunder, Tyrese Haliburton stepped in to push back against Charles Barkley’s comments on Pascal Siakam.
The Indiana Pacers kept their unlikely title run alive, earning a 2-1 edge in the NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tyrese Haliburton was again at the heart of the action, posting 22 points and 11 dimes – a performance that fit exactly what Indiana needed to pull out the win.
Pascal Siakam chipped in 21 points, leaving his fingerprints on the game in ways that didn’t always show up in the box score. His impact stretches beyond the numbers, and his teammates continue to recognise it.
But when Charles Barkley questioned Siakam’s consistency, suggesting he swung between passive and aggressive too often, Haliburton didn’t let it slide.
Haliburton stands by Siakam, pushes back on Barkley
After the win, Haliburton hopped on NBA TV, where Barkley brought up Siakam’s fluctuating approach from one game to the next.
Haliburton didn’t agree, pointing out how the Thunder’s defensive strategy plays a big role in how Siakam approaches each matchup.
Charles Barkley: “What is the deal with Siakam? Why he go from passive to aggressive from game to game? He was fantastic tonight… Why is he so up and down in terms of being aggressive?”
Tyrese Haliburton: “I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. I think the way that they guard, he operates so well in the mid-post. When he’s catching it 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. He’s just trying to make reads and play the right way. I thought he did a great job operating today.”
“It’s hard when you catch it at the nail where he 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.”
“I think from game to game, just taking what the defence gives you. I thought he did a great job and set the tone. We just followed his lead.”
Siakam’s steady presence keeps driving Indiana forward
On top of his 21 points, Siakam also added six boards and a pair of steals, anchoring both ends for Indiana in Game 3.
Across the first three games of the Finals, Siakam is averaging 18.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 45% from the floor.
The bond between Siakam and Haliburton has been clear throughout the postseason. Earlier this series, Siakam spoke up about the need to help Haliburton adjust to Oklahoma City’s schemes — a message that reinforced their shared leadership role within the team.
If both stars keep stepping up, Indiana may not be far from completing one of the most improbable championship runs in recent memory.
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