Pascal Siakam’s role keeps expanding with the Raptors in a narrow loss to the Suns

If there was any doubt about Pascal Siakam’s ever-growing function with the Raptors, they have been additional erased Tuesday night time.

Siakam, who has morphed from an intriguing but skinny put up participant right into a multi-positional NBA menace, had been sharing backup level guard duties with Scottie Barnes for a handful of video games.

And with Barnes out, there was each cause to suspect a few of Siakam’s ballhandling load might need gone to somebody like Dalano Banton or Malachi Flynn, level guards by commerce who may have crammed in a couple of minutes.

However, no. With coach Nick Nurse refusing to provide into standard knowledge and trying to exploit matchups at each flip, it was Siakam who backed up Fred VanVleet in a 99-95 loss to the Phoenix Suns on the Scotiabank Area.

Siakam completed with 22 factors, seven assists and 7 rebounds as Toronto noticed its six-game successful streak come to an finish in one of the crucial pleasant video games of the season.

“It was a bodily recreation, kinda slow-paced and grinding,” Nurse mentioned. “I believed they have been positively making an attempt to out-physical us and we hung in there actually good. It may in all probability gone both means, actually.”

Enjoying a completely wholesome, top-notch opponent for the primary time in about two weeks, and even with out Barnes (knee) and Gary Trent Jr. (ankle), the Raptors have been pretty much as good as at any level within the final two weeks.

They received good video games from Siakam, VanVleet (21 factors) and OG Anunoby (25 factors) to make up for the absence of two starters, and Chris Boucher offered 13 factors and 16 rebounds off the bench.

The Suns, tied with Golden State for the very best document within the NBA going into the sport, received double-figure scoring from all 5 starters with Jae Crowder main the best way with 19. They iced the sport on the free-throw line within the ultimate 15 seconds after Devin Booker and Chris Paul hit key mid-range soar photographs.

“That is in all probability pretty much as good because it will get and not using a crowd in there,” VanVleet mentioned. “They actually raised their degree. There is a cause why they've the very best document within the NBA, it is as a result of they play that means each night time.

“I believed that we answered the decision. I believed it was check for us. Clearly we did not come out with the victory however you recognize the combat.”

Siakam was primed for his guard duties for weeks and received beneficial expertise when the Raptors had lineups depleted by damage and a rash of COVID-related absences.

“After we went by means of a few of these video games with numerous guys out, we put the ball in his fingers much more,” Nurse mentioned. “After we received the blokes again, we determined to take somewhat little bit of a unique look with the second unit as a result of we favored what we noticed with the ball in his fingers. Thus far, so good. He’s doing a fantastic job.”

The absences of Barnes and Trent didn’t pressure the Raptors to be extra conventional with their lineup than they've been or wish to be. Khem Birch returned to the beginning lineup for the second straight recreation — giving the Raptors a standard centre as an alternative of a entrance line of Barnes, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam — however Nurse nonetheless used Siakam as the first backup level guard.

It’s an extra testomony to how far off Banton and Flynn have fallen and continues to talk to Nurse’s insistence that the Raptors play unconventional lineups to create mismatches.

There was additionally a begin for Yuta Watanabe, who hadn’t performed since Jan. 2 because of the NBA’s well being and security protocols. Watanabe performed quarter-hour however had little influence, lacking the 4 photographs he took on a scoreless night time and grabbing only one rebound. His conditioning seemed OK however he actually wasn’t as much as peak NBA type.

Neither Watanabe nor Svi Mykhailiuk, the opposite beneficiary of the absence of Barnes and Trent, gave the Raptors something tangible. And paired with the actual fact neither Banton nor Flynn performed, Toronto’s depth points are an issue.

Justin Champagnie, nonetheless, goes to make it onerous for Nurse to depart him on the bench. In simply 10 minutes Tuesday, Champagnie grabbed 5 rebounds and offered a much-needed activate the bench.

“You’re simply making an attempt to purchase some minutes right here and there, and we kinda knew it might be a extremely brief begin for Yuta and gave Svi a crack at it,” Nurse mentioned. “Like many nights, we kinda hold looking for that power plug, and as soon as once more it was Justin. Simply making an attempt to purchase minutes and hold making an attempt guys who’ll influence the sport.”