Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam was caught in a heated back-and-forth with a reporter following Thursday’s Game 5 defeat to the New York Knicks.
Siakam and the Pacers failed to close out the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden, slipping to a 111-94 defeat in Game 5 against the Knicks.
And the 31-year-old appeared to take issue with questions over his team’s effort in comparison to their desperate rivals.
The three-time NBA All-Star appeared rattled as he became locked in an awkward exchange with a reporter during his postgame press conference.
After Siakam admitted Jalen Brunson and co. put in a tougher shift on the court, the reporter, who remained offscreen, continued to press him.
‘It’s okay. We played hard, they played harder,’ Siakam began before snapping back at the journalist’s continuous retorts. ‘What’s your point, I don’t get it? You good bro? You’re looking for something I know, but damn.’
Pascal Siakam went back and forth with a reporter after Siakam said he believed the Knicks played harder than the Pacers in Game 5″It’s okay. We played hard, they played harder. What’s your point, I don’t get it? You good bro? You’re looking for something I know, but damn” pic.twitter.com/65lwlzgas7
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 30, 2025 
Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam was caught in a heated back-and-forth with a reporter
The exchange occurred after the Pacers failed to close out the series against the Knicks
Although the reporter was never shown on camera, many fans on social media believed him to be Indiana beat journalist Gregg Doyel, who went viral for an interaction with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark.
Doyel made headlines last April when he introduced himself to the former Iowa college hero by performing her famous heart-shaped hand gesture.
When a confused Clark asked if he liked her popular hand signal, Doyel replied: ‘Start doing it with me and we’ll get along just fine.’
Doyel was subsequently suspended for two weeks by his employer, the Indianapolis Star, and appeared not to attend a single Fever game in person during Clark’s rookie year.
However, the ban appears to have since been lifted as he seemingly returned to the WNBA press box earlier this year for the Fever’s first preseason game of the year against the Washington Mystics at the beginning of the month.
Siakam struggled during Game 5, which was a crucial do-or-die for the Knicks, in comparison to his earlier performances in the series.
The former Raptors forward scored just 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-3 from three, and 4-of-8 from the line.
He managed six rebounds and five ᴀssists but failed to be as impactful as previous displays in the postseason.
Many NBA fans claimed the reporter was the same man who made headlines over a press conference exchange with Caitlin Clark (pictured) last year
Indianapolis Star reporter Gegg Doyel was reportedly banned from Fever games last season
Meanwhile, teammate Tyrese Haliburton was just as – if not, more – anonymous in the Big Apple.
The Pacers superstar was held to just eight points by the stifling New York defense as Indiana failed in its first attempt to clinch is spot in the NBA Finals.
Haliburton had 32 points, 15 ᴀssists, 12 rebounds and no turnovers in Game 4, the first 30-15-10 in the postseason since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78.
But he was limited to eight points, six ᴀssists and two rebounds Thursday. The All-NBA point guard didn’t even have a basket in the first half, when the Pacers’ total of 45 points was just two more than the had in the first quarter of Game 4.
Yet both Siakam and Haliburton will have the chance to silence their critics Saturday when Game 6 presents a second sH๏τ at punching their ticket to the Championship series where the Oklahoma City Thunder lie in wait.
