Pascal Siakam sparks injury-hit Indiana Pacers to season’s first NBA win
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Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam shooting the ball while Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. on Nov 1, 2025. Cameroonian playmaker Siakam tallied 27 points in his team's 114-109 win.
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
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WASHINGTON – Pascal Siakam sank the go-ahead three-pointer in the final seconds as the injury-hit Indiana Pacers won their first game of the National Basketball Association (NBA) season, defeating the Golden State Warriors 114-109 at home on Nov 1.
Cameroonian playmaker Siakam scored 27 points, Aaron Nesmith had a game-best and career-high 31 points and Quenton Jackson added a career-high 25 points to help snap Indiana’s five-game losing skid to open the campaign.
The Pacers, down 104-93 midway into the fourth quarter after Stephen Curry scored three of his 24 points for Golden State, closed the game on a 21-5 run to defeat the Warriors (4-3).
“We just played hard-nosed basketball,” Siakam said.
“We’ve got to get back to being us. We’ve got to play hard. It has got to be tough on teams to play us. For those minutes, we made it tough on them.”
Siakam, who was in the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship squad, gave Indiana a 112-109 lead on a three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining.
“Just trying to play hard, be in position to help my team,” Siakam said. “Everybody fought for the rebound. I got an open shot. You’ve just got to shoot it.”
Jackson hit a clinching basket with 5.2 seconds to play.
“He was a big part of why we won,” Siakam said of Jackson. “I’m just trying to instil confidence in those guys, to know you’ve got an opportunity. This is the NBA.
“We took advantage of that tonight – just being aggressive, not thinking about making mistakes or anything like that. Just playing hard, that’s what we needed.”
The Pacers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in June’s NBA Finals, where star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will keep him out this entire season.
The Pacers have also lost Obi Toppin to a broken right foot. In addition, T.J. McConnell has a hamstring injury, Kam Jones a back injury, Bennedict Mathurin a toe injury and Andrew Nembhard a shoulder injury.
“This is the tough part. A couple months ago, we were at the top trying to win the championship and then going down 0-5 like this, it’s hard,” Siakam said.
“What I’m trying to do is get everybody together, continue to fight no matter what, just think about the next game. Just keep the faith. I have faith in these guys and I know we’re going to keep fighting.
“We’re going to get better. It’s a long season. I know it feels hard. I ask the fans to be patient. We’re going to keep fighting.”
Elsewhere, Zach LaVine scored 31 points and DeMar DeRozan added 29 to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 135-133 victory at the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Kings (2-4) had 24 points each from Dennis Schroder and Domantas Sabonis, who also contributed 13 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks (4-2).
Julius Randle scored 30 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 122-105 triumph at Charlotte, while Kevin Durant scored 26 to pace the Houston Rockets in a 128-101 victory at the Boston Celtics.
Paolo Banchero scored 28 points and Franz Wagner added 25 to power the Orlando Magic’s 125-94 victory at the Washington Wizards.
In Mexico City, Detroit’s Jalen Duren scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Pistons over the Dallas Mavericks 122-110.
“I just wanted to get the win. Coach had a great game plan and my teammates found me and the rest is history,” said Duren.
Cade Cunningham’s tally of 18 assists was also a career-best.
“It is cool, super cool. The coaching staff put me in great position and my teammates helped me – to do it here was cool,” he said.
It was the 15th NBA regular-season contest in Mexico, where the league has also staged 19 pre-season games.
The Mavs were without forward Anthony Davis, their leading scorer and rebounder, due to a lower left leg injury.
Meanwhile, Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant was suspended for one game by the NBA franchise on Nov 1 for conduct detrimental to the team for comments made after a loss on Oct 31.
Morant, who is averaging 20.8 points and 6.7 assists a game, will miss the Grizzlies’ game on Nov 2 (Nov 3, Singapore time) at the Raptors.
Morant spoke out about the coaching staff after a 117-112 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, following which Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo reportedly challenged Morant’s effort and leadership.
AFP, REUTERS
