Siakam, Gasol sidelined indefinitely for NBA Raptors
NEW YORK: Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam of Cameroon and Spanish center Marc Gasol, key players in last season’s NBA championship run, will be sidelined indefinitely with injuries, the Canadian club announced.
Siakam suffered a groin strain after awkwardly landing in the fourth quarter of a 112-99 victory at Detroit while Gasol suffered a left hamstring injury in the same contest and will miss at least two weeks.
Also hurt in the fourth quarter against the Pistons was US reserve guard Norman Powell, who is out indefinitely with a left shoulder injury.
The setbacks come with the Raptors, who lost NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers in the off-season, sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference at 19-8 after a three-game win streak.
Siakam, 25, has become Toronto’s top scorer with 25.1 points a game and best rebounder with
8.0 per contest. He and Gasol, 34, also each average one blocked shot a game.
Gasol is averaging 6.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game while Powell, 26, has produced 14.4 points a game in a largely reserve role. — AFP