“Oh, this is gonna be fun” – When Tyrese Haliburton told JJ Redick he knew his chemistry with Pascal Siakam was real

Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton are the biggest reasons the Indiana Pacers have become title contenders in the past two seasons. Last year, they lost in the Eastern Conference finals to the Boston Celtics before reaching the championship round in 2025. The Pacers’ 1-2 punch worked its magic again in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to beat the OKC Thunder 111-110 on Thursday.

Following the duo’s impressive playoff run, a clip of JJ Redick’s interview with Haliburton on The Young Man and The Three in March 2024 re-surfaced. When the now LA Lakers coach asked the point guard his initial thoughts about playing with Siakam, Haliburton responded:

“The first rebound Pascal [Siakam] grabbed and I was in front of him and I was waiting for him to do [motions to go away] and he flipped it to me. And I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be fun.’ He gave me the ball right away.”

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Tyrese Haliburton told JJ Redick that when a new teammate comes, chemistry usually takes time to develop. The Pacers’ franchise cornerstone opened up that former teammate Bruce Brown used to tell him to run following a Brown rebound. In Siakam’s case, Haliburton claimed his chemistry with the versatile forward was almost instantaneous.

Pascal Siakam debuted for the Pacers on January 19, 2024 against the Portland Trail Blazers. He finished the game with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists but his team lost 118-115. Despite the setback, Tyrese Haliburton found his chemistry with Siakam exciting.

The Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam era in Indiana got off to a rough start

The Indiana Pacers were on a three-game losing streak heading into their game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 19, 2024. To bolster their lineup, the Pacers sent Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks to the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam.

Tyrese Haliburton and the newly acquired former Raptors star could not end the slump, losing their first game together to the Blazers. Two nights later, the Pacers traveled to Phoenix, but a nagging hamstring issue forced Haliburton out. Siakam had a 15-point, seven-assist and four-rebound night, but Indiana extended its losing streak to five.

The Pacers returned to Indianapolis for Pascal Siakam’s home debut on January 23, which came against the Denver Nuggets. Haliburton remained out due to the same issue. Siakam contributed to the starters’ outstanding effort, but the Pacers could not break the slump after losing 114-109.

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About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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