The Indiana Pacers earned a dominant 125-108 win over the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. The victory sent them to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Yet while the scoreboard left no doubt about who deserved to move on, the same couldn’t be said about the MVP vote. Pascal Siakam walked away with the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award. But not everyone agreed he was the rightful winner, and the reaction sparked the latest round in what’s become an annual ECF MVP controversy.
The ECF MVP Controversy Has Deja Vu Written All Over It
Siakam vs. Haliburton: A Tight MVP Race
Siakam secured five of the nine media panel votes. Tyrese Haliburton got the other four. The race was tight. So were the arguments on both sides.
Siakam led Game 6 with 31 points, going 10-for-18 from the field and 3-for-5 from three. His impact in the first half kept Indiana afloat as Haliburton struggled to find his rhythm. But in the final quarter, Haliburton took over. He poured in 11 points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out three assists, shutting the door on New York’s hopes.
The voters faced a tough choice. Reggie Miller, a Pacers legend, sided with Haliburton. Others leaned toward Siakam for his consistency throughout the series. But the split itself is the heart of the ECF MVP controversy.
Both Stars Had Strong Series Performances
Siakam averaged 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and shot an impressive 52.4 percent from the floor in the series. His three-point accuracy stood at a scorching 50 percent. He also guarded Karl-Anthony Towns on defense—an underappreciated aspect of the matchup. He even delivered a monster 39-point performance in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden.
Meanwhile, Haliburton wasn’t far behind. He posted 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game. His playmaking was elite, highlighted by 63 assists in the series—more than anyone in the conference finals since Magic Johnson in 1991. That alone adds weight to the ECF MVP controversy. In Game 2, he recorded a 30-point, 15-assist triple-double without a single turnover. No one had done that before.
At just 24 years old, Haliburton became the youngest player ever to average 20 points and 10 assists in a conference finals win.
Why Siakam Got the Edge
The difference may have come down to how voters viewed defense. While Haliburton contributed on both ends, Siakam took on the tougher matchups. Guarding Towns and limiting his impact likely swayed some voters. It’s not a bad choice—it’s just a debatable one. And that’s what makes the ECF MVP controversy so familiar.
The voters simply liked Siakam’s overall body of work. His experience, defense, and consistency gave him a narrow edge. Rachel Nichols may have argued for Haliburton, but this wasn’t a robbery—it was a tough call.
This…surprises me. https://t.co/3s7sWYZQ4h
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 1, 2025
Déjà Vu from Last Year’s ECF MVP Vote
This isn’t the first time the Eastern Conference MVP decision caused raised eyebrows. Last season, Jaylen Brown beat Jayson Tatum by the same 5-4 margin. Brown, who guarded Haliburton in that series, averaged 29.8 points and two steals. But Tatum put up better all-around numbers—30.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists—while handling more responsibility on both ends.
Even Brown was shocked. “I wasn’t expecting it at all—I never win s***,” he said. That year’s award, like this one, could’ve gone either way. The ECF MVP controversy is now part of the tradition.
The Verdict: No Wrong Answer, Just a Familiar Debate
Haliburton is the team’s engine. He makes everything go. But Siakam was steady, efficient, and stepped up when it mattered. The panel favored two-way impact and consistency over explosiveness and flash. It’s not outrageous. It’s just the kind of decision that invites debate.
And just like last year, that debate will keep the ECF MVP controversy alive until next June.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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