Spicy P? More Like Mild P
Pascal Siakam has been stinking it up in the Raptors’ second-round matchup against the Celtics. Where’d he go? What happened to the 2019 Most Improved Player who honestly could’ve won it again this year because he got even better?
There’s no kind way to put this. Siakam has sucked this series. Through three games, Siakam is shooting 37% from the field, 18% from 3pt range, and has looked lost every possession out on the court. His defense has been awful as well. Siakam is not only getting cooked by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but Marcus Smart has been beating him off the dribble. He’s not been aggressive and has allowed almost anyone on the Celtics to do anything in the paint.
Listen, I like Siakam. But I have to call things as I see it. Even Nick Nurse recognizes this because he’s not drawing up plays to get the ball in Siakam’s hands late. If he does get the ball, he does nothing with it. Siakam can’t be “the guy” at the end of games because he sucks the entire game.
During Boston’s final possession of game three, Siakam abandoned his man down low to try and stop the three but ended up giving Theis the easy basket with less than a second left. I’m sorry, but that is outrages. He’s lucky that OG Anunoby hit an amazing three-point shot. It was a great play drawn up by Nick Nurse, which led to the game-winner.
If the Raptors are to have any chance of winning this series, Pascal Siakam has to play better. He was supposed to be the one to step up when Kawhi left. He stepped up during the regular season and somewhat in the bubble. But Siakam has been awful for the Raptors this series. He HAS to play better, or this series will be over in five games. The Raptors can’t rely on luck and Kyle Lowry.
