The Pacers have been hit hard by a wave of injuries to start the season, yet veteran forward Pascal Siakam insists that the team’s 1-12 record can’t be written off as something they’re powerless to change.
Speaking with Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, Siakam made it clear that, in his view, effort and competitiveness must remain non-negotiable regardless of the circumstances.
“We are playing in the NBA, the best league in the world,” he said, emphasizing that simply showing up isn’t enough.
“There shouldn’t be a reason why you’re out there every single night and not giving your best or trying to be the best that you can be and giving it your all. There’s thousands and millions of people who would give everything they have to be in the situation that we’re in. There’s no excuse.”
While he acknowledged the severe roster challenges, Siakam refused to let injuries become a crutch.
“Obviously, it’s been tough on us. We have injuries every single day. Guys are in situations that they’re not supposed to be in,” he said, pointing to players being pushed into roles they wouldn’t normally fill.
Still, he maintained that the team can’t simply shrug and accept the skid.
“But we can’t find it as an excuse and just go out there every single night and be like, ‘Whatever happens happens.’ It has to matter. We have to fight.”
Bulls guard Coby White had an impressive season debut yesterday, plus more notes from the Central Division. https://t.co/mOVAAEF0Ei
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 18, 2025
