Toronto Raptors: Top five performances from a perfect week six
1. Pascal Siakam
Opponent: Utah Jazz
Stat line: 35 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
This game turned into a blowout early as the Jazz were down by as many as 40 points at the break. That monster lead was brought to you courtesy of Pascal Siakam. He went on an absolute tear in the first quarter as he scored 19 points in that frame and ended the half with 26 points.
Even with Rudy Gobert, reigning two-time defensive player of the year, patrolling the paint, Siakam still scored at will. He posted up Royce O’Neale with no mercy, passing out of double-teams and dominating single matchups. With every passing game this season, Siakam has grown more and more comfortable as the leader and number one option.
Just like with VanVleet, what was most impressive was the 3-point shooting Siakam displayed, going 5-9 from the field. Over his last three games alone Siakam has hit 11 three-pointers. On the season he is shooting 38-percent from 3-point territory and has made an average of 2.4 3s per game. This type of shooting improvement was what most Raptors fans were hoping for after Siakam showed glimpses of a jumper last season.
Next. OG Anunoby has taken the next step. dark
The return of Ibaka did not affect Siakam at all in this one and the return of Lowry shouldn’t do much either. Siakam is the clear-cut first option and the entire offense runs through him regardless of injuries. With the Raptors on an eight-game winning streak and Siakam leading the way, expect another solid week from the defending NBA champions.