Raptors news: Pascal Siakam teases evolution, Powell gets revenge

The Toronto Raptors might be 2-3 in their last five games, as Norman Powell and the Los Angeles Clippers absolutely torched them on Tuesday night, but the play of Pascal Siakam is not at all responsible for that downturn. Siakam’s last five games may be the best such stretch of his career.

Siakam is averaging 35.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in that span, including a near triple-double in a win against the Cavaliers and a 52-point virtuoso game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Siakam made 11 shots from the field in the second half against the Clippers.

Siakam’s continued improvement has taken him from an All-Star hopeful to an All-NBA lock in just a few seasons. With another All-NBA nod putting him in supermax territory, Siakam got fans even more hyped up after the game by hinting that the best is yet to come.

Siakam feels that he is “continuing to evolve,” per Oren Weisfeld. Siakam knows that there is more potential to be mined if he continues to plug away and work with the team’s developmental staff. If he takes another step forward, things will get truly scary.

More Raptors news

• Norman Powell scored 22 points in his first appearance at Scotiabank Arena as a member of the visiting team. Powell said that he “had [the game] circled” on his calendar and wanted nothing more than to stick it to his old franchise for trading him away to the Portland Trail Blazers.
• Kawhi Leonard had made appearances at Scotiabank after leaving Toronto, but Tuesday was the first time he suited up in Clippers colors in Canada. Drake came over to show Leonard love and thank him for the immense part he played in making the Raptors a champion during his lone season with the team.

NBA news

• Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic had one of the greatest individual games in NAB history in an overtime win against the New York Knicks. Doncic became the first player in NBA history to record 60 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists in a single game. Not even Wilt Chamberlain did this.
• Nets leader Kevin Durant continued to climb up the NBA’s all-time scoring list, passing Spurs great Tim Duncan for 15th place all-time. KD, who now has 26,516 points, must now pass Dominique Wilkins and Oscar Robertson to keep moving up the rankings.