Together, they’re climbing up
Toronto, led by a hot VanVleet and a maturing Siakam, sits at .500 for first time since November
Raptors 129 Spurs 104
They came in together, have grown up together, respect each other and have morphed into one of the more imposing duos in Raptors history.
Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam will forever be linked with each other and their combined performance Tuesday night is a glaring example of why.
VanVleet drilled seven threepointers as part of a 33-point night — his third straight game with 30 or more — and Siakam casually threw together an 18-point, 12-rebound gem as the Raptors routed the San Antonio Spurs 129-104 at the Scotiabank Arena.
“We’ve got guys that are finding the shooters, being aggressive, and I’m just trying to hunt those open catch-and-shoots … because I feel good in that role and those are probably the easiest shots, I guess,” VanVleet said.
The longest-serving Raptors — Siakam was a first-round pick in 2016, VanVleet was signed as an undrafted free agent that same summer — helped Toronto win its third straight game and get the team to .500 for the first time since early November.
Now 17-17 on the season, the Raptors are making a move through the middle of the Eastern Conference standings. And while .500 is a nice benchmark, it’s not a goal.
“I think it’s a little something,” coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “Let’s put it that way. I think we’ve got some aspirations of us being not .500 or below .500, certainly well above.”
No two players are going to be more responsible for that run than VanVleet and Siakam.
VanVleet became the first Raptor since Kawhi Leonard in 2019 to have three straight games with 30 or more points with Tuesday’s performance, and he has shot 30for-57 from three-point range over his last five games.
“I think we’re finding our natural rhythm of where our team is going to be for now and obviously (I’m) feeling pretty good,” VanVleet said. “I’m not the best at taking compliments or talking about myself, so ... Feeling good. I’ll leave it at that.”
Siakam’s night began in ignominious fashion with two fouls in 68 seconds and a quick trip to the bench. And while there have been nights when such a bad start would have weighed on his mind and affected his play, it a measure of his confidence and maturity that it didn’t Tuesday.
Siakam’s play of late has been outstanding in more areas than just points and assists, a fact Nurse is quick to point out. In three games before Tuesday’s meeting with the Spurs, Siakam averaged 24.3 points and 7.5 assists on better than 50 per cent shooting from the field, but he also averaged 13 rebounds and played above-average defence.
“I know he can score, and I know he can draw (double teams) and pass and do some things, and I also know he can defend,” Nurse said. “He is a really good defender and we need to keep seeing that. And I think it's been awesome to see the rebounding and the finishing at the basket and … all those kind of things. So, there's a lot that he can do and we're starting to see all phases of it.”
Siakam chalks up his resurgent play to good health and a full return to form. He missed the entire summer recovering from shoulder surgery and sat out the first 11 games of the season getting in shape. He missed two more around Christmas when he was in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
“I’m feeling good, my body’s feeling good and I think I’m taking another step also just taking care of my body and making sure I do everything that’s right so I’m fresh,” he said. “And just a mentality shift in terms of being an all-around player. I feel like I have that ability, and not a lot of players have that ability, to be able to defend, be able to pass, be able to rebound and also score.”
It helps that he’s surrounded now by better teammates. The complete version of the Raptors is egalitarian, they have a handful of No. 1 options and it will change nightly based on matchups and hot hands. Anyone of Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. or Scottie Barnes could be it.
Siakam seems as comfortable setting up teammates as he is taking over. “I know what Gary likes to do, I know what OG likes to do, and I know what Fred likes to do and I think just that just makes me even better and more comfortable out there on the floor,” he said.