Pascal Siakam is making history through 2 games for the Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have just won their first playoff game in six years, and they have Pascal Siakam to thank for that.

After getting blown out in Game 1, the Pacers sensed that something needed to change, and looked no further than their mid-season acquisition. After having 36 points in the first game of the series and outscoring everyone else, it was clear that Siakam would be the man to build Indiana's hub around, especially if Tyrese Haliburton was going to continue his passive play.

While Haliburton improved his aggression a good amount in Game 2, with 10 shots instead of seven and 12 points to go with 12 assists, Siakam was once again the man Indiana turned to in almost every situation. As the player with the most playoff experience by a comfortable margin, Siakam certainly had the experience to take a team far in the playoffs, and he showed exactly that in Game 2, scoring 37 points on 16/23 shooting and 3/4 from deep.

Despite the Bucks trying everything under the sun, they did not have an answer to Siakam. They threw multiple defenders on him and none of them stuck. The entire game was essentially a scoring masterclass, as the Siakam scored on the catch, off the dribble, and in the famous two-man game with Haliburton, which Indiana thankfully brought out more in Game 2 to fantastic results.

When it was all said and done, Siakam's 37 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists on 69% shooting led Indiana to flip the script from their embarrassing Game 1 loss and get momentum heading into Game 2 at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse.

Additionally, Siakam became the second Pacer in franchise history after Reggie Miller to score 35+ points in a playoff game, as well as scoring the second-most points for a player's first two playoff games with a new franchise in NBA history, only three points behind Shaquille O'Neal, and, ironically, four points ahead of Damian Lillard.

If Tyrese Haliburton continues his lack of aggression going into Game 3 in Indy, and especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo is returning to the lineup soon, the Pacers have to continue to rely on Pascal Siakam as the number one option and hope he can continue producing results.

It helps that they have put him in the perfect position to succeed offensively. Through the last few years with Toronto, Siakam has played with little to no spacing which put extensive pressure on him as a primary scorer. In Indiana, he is surrounded by a bevy of shooters who are ready to fade behind the arc in case defenders swarm on Siakam. As such, he has been given plenty more space to operate and do what he does best, put the ball in the hoop.

The Pacers are in good shape heading back to Indiana. Tuesday's Game 2 was a must-win, and now with the Bucks getting their own taste of a blowout loss, they may look to bringing Giannis Antetokounmpo back early to do some extra damage against Indiana.

If that is the case, Siakam needs to keep his fantastic play up and get help similar to what he got in Game 2, where every member of the starting lineup scored in double figures and Indiana shot 55% from the field as a team and 44% from deep, a far cry from their atrocious numbers in Game 1.

With the first-game jitters out of the way for the youngsters, Indiana has no excuse to play at a level similar to Game 1 at this point. Everyone has gotten a taste of playoff basketball, and certain players have thrived quickly, including Andrew Nembhard, who had 20 points. It is up to the team to continue this momentum back to Gainsbridge and put the Bucks in a desperate position.