Toronto Raptors: With new life, it’s time for Pascal Siakam to step up
The Toronto Raptors need Pascal Siakam more than ever
Already down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Boston Celtics, the Toronto Raptors were a half-second away from being on the doorstep of elimination. Then, OG Anunoby hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer that will forever live in team history.
With new life, and an opportunity to even the series at two games apiece Saturday night, you can’t help but wonder what the Raptors will do with this lifeline. Being down 3-0 is a death sentence in the NBA playoffs – no team in league history has ever won a series after being down 3-0. The fact that they have a chance to even the series in Game 4 after being down two points with 0.5 seconds left in Game 3 is an absolute miracle.
The Raptors have to be viewing this entire series in a different light at the moment. Over the past two games, these two teams have essentially played each other to a tie – Boston won Game 2 by three points and the Raptors won Game 3 by one.
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Had it not been for Marcus Smart‘s five 3-pointers to open the fourth quarter of Game 2, perhaps the Raptors would be the team sitting with a 2-1 series lead. There are two sides of thinking – I’m sure Boston fans are stuck on the fact that they were one shot away from a 3-0 series lead.
Nevertheless, what remains true for Toronto is that they have momentum, life. It may have come on a last-ditch shot effort in Game 3, and with 34-year-old Kyle Lowry playing 46 minutes in a 48-minute game, but they have to have a bit of pep in their step today in practice or in their team meetings.
None of this will matter if the Raptors lose Game 4 or if they bow out in five games. Game 3 was a great story, but if they’re going to make this a series and possibly win Game 4, one thing is clear above the rest – they’re going to need to see more from Pascal Siakam.
Siakam got off to a terrible start in Game 3 after getting into foul trouble in the first half, but he’s averaging just 15 points and six rebounds on 36 percent shooting from the field and 17 percent shooting from 3-point range in this series. You can make the case that he’s looked like the third or fourth-best player for the Raptors against the Celtics.
If the Raptors are going to extend this series beyond five games or even win it, Siakam has to be the team’s best player. Toronto can’t rely on Lowry playing 46 minutes again and a game-winning shot by OG Anunoby.
For much of the season, the Raptors relied on two big factors on their way to success in the Eastern Conference – playing great defense and hitting 3’s at a high clip. The Raptors were top 5 during the regular season in defense rating, 3-point makes, and 3-point percentage.
Against the Celtics, they’ve been a good enough defensive team but it’s their 3-point shooting that has really taken a hit. In three games against the Celtics, Toronto is only shooting 28 percent from beyond the arc – they shot 43 percent from deep in their four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets.
Heading into Game 4, Siakam and the team’s shooting will both have to be better for this team to find any success against Boston. The Celtics are too well-coached and match up well with Toronto. The margin for error is simply not there for the Raptors in this series.
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The Toronto Raptors have new life in this series, but if Pascal Siakam doesn’t solve his Jaylen Brown riddle or if the 3’s don’t start falling, Game 3’s miraculous victory will be nothing more than just a bittersweet memory.