As the Indiana Pacers face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, some analysts are pointing to Pascal Siakam, the Pacers' star forward, as potentially having a crucial flaw that could hinder their championship aspirations. While Siakam's acquisition has undoubtedly elevated Indiana's competitiveness, some reporters suggest that at 25 years old, he needs to take another leap forward to truly "save" the Pacers in this series.

Siakam's journey to becoming a key player for the Pacers has been impressive. After winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, Siakam is no stranger to silencing doubters. In fact, when asked about critics picking the Thunder, Siakam responded, "I don't think we expect anyone to pick us. It's been that way the whole playoffs, the whole season. I think nothing for us changes. We just continue to be ourselves, focus on us. It's always been us against everyone." His resilience is echoed by teammate Aaron Nesmith, who stated, "We enjoy being the underdogs. We've been the underdogs since I've gotten here for the last three years. Every game in the playoffs, it felt like nobody wanted us to win. We're here and nothing's new. We're going to attack it with the same mindset."

Despite the Pacers' confidence, some analysts suggest that Siakam sometimes struggles to consistently assert himself as a dominant offensive force. There are stretches where he doesn't get the ball enough and that the Pacers seem to forget about him on the court. Game 2 against the Thunder underscored this concern, with Siakam acknowledging Oklahoma City's disruptive and aggressive defense. "They did a good job of being disruptive, super aggressive," Siakam said. "I thought the game was pretty close in the beginning. There was a lot of mental buckets and some key turnovers that we can take away. They did the little things more than we did."

While Siakam has improved his ball-handling and mid-range game, some observers believe that his over-reliance on these areas, combined with inconsistent three-point shooting, can make him predictable. Defenses can key in on his tendencies, limiting his effectiveness. Furthermore, Siakam's finishing around the rim has occasionally been questioned, particularly his ability to power through contact.

To elevate his game and increase his impact on the NBA Finals, Siakam could focus on several key areas. First, improving his three-point consistency would force defenses to respect his outside shot, opening up driving lanes and post-up opportunities. Second, diversifying his offensive moves and improving his ability to draw fouls would make him a more unpredictable scorer. Finally, becoming a more vocal leader and demanding the ball in crucial situations could ensure that he remains a focal point of the Pacers' offense throughout the game.

Despite any potential flaws, Siakam's overall contributions to the Pacers cannot be denied. He's a versatile player who can score, rebound, and defend multiple positions. He's also a proven playoff performer, with a championship pedigree. Whether Siakam can further refine his game and lead the Pacers to an NBA title remains to be seen, but his performance will undoubtedly be a key factor in determining Indiana's fate. As Siakam himself asserted, the Pacers are not happy with the Game 2 loss and must turn the page and focus on Game 3.