In a dramatic postgame moment, Tyrese Haliburton provided insight into the Pacers’ offensive approach and pushed back against the narrative of inconsistency surrounding Pascal Siakam’s play.

Haliburton’s postgame defense

Haliburton was instrumental in Indiana’s 116-107 win, recording a double-double with 22 points and 11 assists. Siakam contributed 21 points, helping the Pacers seize a 2-1 lead in the series.

After the final buzzer, Haliburton joined the NBA TV postgame show, where Charles Barkley questioned Siakam’s fluctuating aggressiveness, highlighting his 21-point performance in Game 3 after a quieter 15-point outing in Game 2.

Barkley’s critique was direct: “Why does [Siakam] go from passive to aggressive game-to-game? Because he was fantastic tonight... Why is he so up-and-down as far as being aggressive?” 

“I don’t think that’s a fair assessment, to be honest with you,” Haliburton responded. “The way that they guard, he operates so well in the mid-post, but you got to understand when he’s catching it in the mid-post they’re talking about rotating the guy fully from the baseline. They’ve just got hands and they’re swarming the ball. We’re just trying to make reads and play the right way.” 

Haliburton emphasized that Siakam’s decisions are dictated by defensive schemes, particularly Oklahoma City’s aggressive help defense and rotations. He added, “From game-to-game, just taking what the defense gives you, I thought he did a great job just setting the tone and we just followed his lead.”

Barkley’s critique and the modern NBA

Barkley’s comments reflect a broader debate about the evolving responsibilities of NBA forwards and centers. He has repeatedly called for big men to assert themselves in the post, criticizing Siakam and Myles Turner for not exploiting size mismatches against smaller Thunder defenders.

“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,” Barkley said before Game 3. His perspective is rooted in a traditionalist view, favoring physical dominance over the perimeter-oriented style prevalent in today’s NBA.

Haliburton’s broader message

Haliburton’s postgame remarks extended beyond defending Siakam. He addressed the broader wave of criticism from media personalities, saying, “Most of the time the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn’t care less, honestly. What do they really know about basketball? The commentary is what it is at this point. It doesn’t matter. We’re in the NBA Finals, two wins away from an NBA championship.” 

The Pacers now hold a crucial edge in the series, with history favoring teams that win Game 3 in a tied NBA Finals. As the series continues, all eyes will remain on how Indiana’s stars respond—not just to the Thunder’s defense, but to the ongoing scrutiny from basketball legends and analysts alike.