Raptors: 3 reasons Pascal Siakam deserves All-NBA after 52-point night

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Oct 21, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives on Brooklyn Nets forward Nic Claxton (33) Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Performing with less help

The Raptors may have five players who are averaging over 14 points per game, but that fact does not fully encapsulate all of the problems that the Raptors are facing right now. Siakam is putting up terrific numbers with some less-than-stellar support around him.

Fred VanVleet has put up solid numbers in his last few games, but he was mired in a very tough shooting slump for most of his season. Scottie Barnes has regressed this season as a scorer and defender, and Gary Trent Jr. has missed some time. The bench remains a complete question mark.

Pascal Siakam is carrying the Toronto Raptors.

The All-NBA teams should count the impact that a particular player has on their team and how they operate. While the Raptors may not be winning right now, they would be in the gutter if they didn’t have Siakam being a model of consistency and excellence when he’s on the floor.

When Siakam plays 40 minutes and is brilliant, they have a chance to win. When he doesn’t, they lose. Very few situations in the league are that binary, but it speaks to just how important he is to how the franchise operates. If value is being used as a measure of All-NBA worthiness, Siakam more than passes that test.

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