As the final buzzer sounded, the visiting team could be seen exploding with jubilation. The date was June 13th, 2019 and the Toronto Raptors had just beaten the Golden State Warriors four games to two to seal the first NBA championship in franchise history. Third-year forward, Pascal Siakam had a breakout series, even leading the team in scoring in Games 1 and 6. His star teammate, Kawhi Leonard would come away with the series’ MVP award. However, no one who watched the Raptors battle the Warriors could think Toronto would still be victorious minus the productivity of Siakam.
After the victory parade made its way through Jurassic Park, Leonard went to Hollywood to land a non-speaking role as a sailboat Captain. That void left Siakam as the team’s best player. The basketball world wondered: is Siakam ready to go from a role player to a franchise player?
Pascal Siakam is the Key to Helping the Toronto Raptors Repeat
Toronto Raptors Roster has to be up to the Challenge
In fairness, the 2019 champs were more than just a one-two punch of Leonard and Siakam. The only member of their core to be with the organization since before they were a perennial playoff team, point guard Kyle Lowry, gained his fifth All-Star selection that season. Starting center Marc Gasol, though no longer in his prime, was just a few years removed from being named First Team All-NBA in 2015. Veteran power forward Serge Ibaka had already established himself as a solid rotation piece. The emergence of third-year guard Fred VanVleet was also key to the Raptors’ success.
However, once The Claw left Canada for Southern California it became clear Siakam was the team’s new leader. At the 2019 NBA awards show, he was presented with the League’s Most Improved Player Award. The question loomed, would he go the way of previous award winner Tracy McGrady and become a bona fide superstar? Or would his career trajectory mirror that of Pervis Ellison, with winning the award itself being the highlight of his career?
How Pascal Siakam is Performing Under the Spotlight
Until the NBA suspended the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pascal Siakam was having a great fourth season. He’d upped his production from 16.9 points per game in 2019 to 23.6 points per game in 2020. The basketball world took notice. Siakam was rewarded with his first All-Star selection this past February. At 46-18 the Raptors were second place in the Eastern Conference and poised to have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. It seemed as if Siakam was answering the question “is he ready,” with a resounding “YES!”
So where does Pascal Siakam go from here? The answer begins on August first when the Raptors resume their season, against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Toronto is one of the twenty-two teams playing an eight-game schedule to finish the regular season. How will the long layoff affect the players? Will guys be in basketball shape? Whatever the answer to that question is, its something that each team will deal with equally.
The question for Siakam is, can he lead his team down the stretch to solidify homecourt advantage and how far can he take them once the playoffs begin? So far, his career trajectory very closely mirrors that of Paul George. George was also a Most Improved Player Award winner before eventually becoming an All-Star. The Raptors hope that, like George, Siakam will become a full-fledged superstar.
The Toronto Raptors Main Challengers in the Eastern Conference
Just like last year, the team favored to represent the East in the NBA Finals is the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo is having another MVP caliber season and the team once again has the best record in the League. The difference is this Bucks team has been through the heartache of losing in the Conference Finals. Last year, being on that stage was a new experience for them. If Siakam and the Raptors are going to upset Milwaukee again, they’ll have to do it without last year’s leading scorer. Without Kawhi Leonard, do they have what it takes to be the best in the East?
The Boston Celtics’ young core has gelled nicely this season. Their formidable young core, featuring Jayson Tatum, should not be overlooked. And although they’ve been inconsistent, no team with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons can be considered an easy out. The Philadelphia Sixers must be taken seriously. If Toronto is to emerge from the fray and represent the East in this year’s Finals, they will surely have been tested along the way.
Odds for Repeating
All signs seem to indicate that no matter the outcome, Pascal Siakam will impress throughout the process. The Raptors have proven they are a proud bunch and they don’t plan on relinquishing the title without a fight. Siakam has been so impressive in 2020. There are whispers he could become the first player in NBA history to win the Most Improved Player award twice.
Siakam has become a versatile and reliable scorer. He’s already made an impact on the NBA’s biggest stage, and he’s ready to solidify his place among the elite players in the game. With the season resuming, so many questions remain unanswered. However, Siakam and the Raptors will be on a mission to reach the ultimate goal, repeating as NBA champions and taking home the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
