Cameron Boozer Makes Candid Admission After Facing Pascal Siakam

Cameron Boozer’s 3-pointer with 46 seconds left cut the Indiana Pacers’ lead to 104-101 Wednesday night. Indiana held on for a 107-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

Boozer finished with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range. He added 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 33 minutes, committed 5 turnovers, and did not attempt a free throw. Against New Orleans on Monday, he had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.

His first basket was a 24-foot 3 that gave Memphis a 3-2 lead in the first minute and a half.

Memphis drafted Boozer third overall out of Duke in June. He had his first career triple-double at Portland on Oct. 29, with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 124-103 win.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting and went 2-of-5 from deep. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 steals, both on Boozer turnovers. Officials assessed him a flopping technical in the second quarter.

Siakam scored 5 straight Indiana points in the final two minutes, on a 17-footer, a 13-foot pull-up, and a free throw that put the Pacers ahead 104-98 with 1:04 left. He also assisted on Aaron Nesmith’s corner 3 with 14.6 seconds to go.

Siakam is in his 11th NBA season, and Boozer saw him across the floor for the first time Wednesday.

“It was a fun matchup,” Boozer said. “For me, it pointed out some things I could get better at. Obviously, he’s someone who’s been in the league for a long time. He’s won championships, and he’s been a huge contributor to winning teams. So it was great to match up with him, and there’s a lot of fun out there.”

Boozer and the coaching staff will go over the film before Friday’s game.

“Oh, man, I’m not going to say that,” Boozer explained.

Five of the Grizzlies’ 19 turnovers were Boozer’s. Siakam stole one in the first quarter and another 25 seconds into the second half. In the fourth, Nesmith picked off a Boozer pass and dunked to tie the game 82-82.

With 3:05 left, Boozer stole a Quenton Jackson pass. Four seconds later, Andrew Nembhard stole his pass, and Larry Nance Jr. dunked for a 99-95 Indiana lead.

Slowing down is the fix Boozer identified.

“I would just say sometimes it’s just playing a little rushed,” Boozer said. “Just got to slow down. But [something] I’m going to clean up, [something] I’m going to look at it and get better.”

Indiana finished with 107 points. Boozer put the number at 106 and counted the defense as a positive.

“I’m not really sure,” Boozer said. “I haven’t had a chance to go back and watch it yet, but a couple things. We’ve got to figure out how to get better shots and knock them down on offense and clear a couple things on defense. But overall, their team has got some dynamic [scorers], and we held them to, what was it, 106, something like that. So it’s not bad.”

“It’s just we’ve got to be better in certain aspects, and I’m sure we’re going to watch, and Coach is going to watch,” Boozer continued. “I’m sure we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

In the fourth quarter, Boozer went 1-of-6 from the field. He set up Kris Murray’s 3 that put Memphis ahead 87-86 with 7:34 left and fed Zach Edey for a dunk that made it 94-93 Indiana with 4:01 remaining.

Memphis went 12-of-44 from 3-point range and 7-of-27 from the field in the fourth quarter.

The Oklahoma City Thunder visit FedExForum on Friday for a 7 p.m. CT tip-off.