Pascal Siakam has made the most of the added responsibility given to him by the Toronto Raptors. What were his top three games this season?
Last season was an undeniable success for the Toronto Raptors and Pascal Siakam. Winning an NBA Championship is about all anyone can ask for but Siakam also made great strides individually last season. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per game and won the most improved player of the year award. Playing alongside a great talent like Kawhi Leonard taught him how to handle being the first option on offense.
This season, with Leonard gone, the Raptors looked for Pascal Siakam to be the answer. They needed to fill the huge void that Leonard left and was looking at Siakam to be that first option and lead the Raptors to another great season.
Suffice to say, he hasn’t disappointed in the slightest with season averages of 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. Still, only in his fourth season, Siakam has taken serious strides in his game and still has room for improvement. While his usage has gone up, his efficiency has taken a hit as his field-goal percentage is currently sitting at 46 percent on the year.
With the Raptors currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference and third place overall, it is safe to say that inserting Siakam as the number one scoring option and face of the franchise has resulted in solid returns for the team.
What were his top three games of the season?
3. vs Phoenix Suns – February 21
This game was important for the Toronto Raptors because it was the first game back from the All-Star break and the first game since their franchise-record 15-game winning streak was snapped, so the team was motivated to get the win. Siakam was motivated as he was fresh off his first All-Star start and appearance, so he wanted to continue to grow his stardom while also helping the Raptors get back on track.
Right from the opening tip, Siakam was looking to destroy this Suns team. He made it rain from downtown hitting three three-pointers and finishing the quarter with 17 points on a scorching 71 field-goal percentage.
For the most part, the Raptors had this game under control, but when the Suns were looking to make a comeback in the fourth quarter Siakam once again silenced them. He hit 100-percent of his shots in the final quarter (4-of-4) scoring eight points and sealing the victory.
Siakam finished the game with 37 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, showing the league his versatility on both the offensive and defensive end.
2. vs New Orleans Pelicans – November 8
Siakam had a strong start to this season, scoring 30 plus points in three of his first seven games before this one. The New Orleans Pelicans were still missing Zion Williamson but they were realizing the talent they had in Brandon Ingram and were hoping to steal a victory.
This game saw both Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka exit the game due to injuries, so Siakam had a lot more responsibility on his shoulders. Despite the injuries, Siakam continued to drain shots and will the Raptors forward, scoring an outstanding 26 points in the first half and carrying the team to a strong 22 point halftime lead.
Siakam continued to light it up as the Pelicans had no answers. In the end, the Raptors secured a comfortable 18-point victory and Pascal Siakam finished the game with a career-high-tying 44-points to go along with 10 rebounds and 4 assists.
What was even more impressive than the points was his career-high three-point attempts (10) and his ability to still be efficient with those attempts (50-percent). His development from beyond the arc was seen in this game as he continues to develop at a rapid pace.
His ability to grab rebounds and tally double-doubles is also something to take note of. This performance would mark Siakam’s third double-double of the season and would be the second game of a four-game double-double streak for the star.
1. vs New Orleans Pelicans – October 22
This game was great for so many reasons. It was the opening game of the regular season, something both fans and players had been anticipating for months now and it was the night the Raptors would finally get their championship rings.
For Siakam this game would arguably be his most important one to date. Many people were doubting the Raptors as a true contender and a large reason for that was the departure of Leonard. Siakam knew that he had to make a statement on national tv and he did just that.
A player that many would say is only scratching the surface of his true potential had arguably the greatest game of his career in the first game of the season. He dropped 34 points, 18 rebounds and five assists becoming only the second Raptor in franchise history to record 30 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in a game.
Siakam was getting double and triple-teamed the whole night but it didn’t stop Siakam from jacking up 26 shot attempts. He was not afraid of the moment and turned in a superstar performance.
This game was a defining moment in Siakam’s career as it validated the fact that he was not only the best offensive weapon on the roster, but he was also going to be the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future.