You know, the one who looked like a borderline MVP candidate for most of the regular season; the one who deservedly started in his first NBA all-star game in February, the one who was a match-up terror on offence and a Swiss Army knife defender.
The guy who will be earning just short of max money in the first year of a four-year, $130-million extension and is well worth the investment.
That guy.
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The guy who could put up a 28-point, 10-rebound line in a grinding, physical playoff game against an elite opponent and lead his team to multiple wins.
Imagine.
But here’s the thing. That Siakam has showed up in Games 3 and 4 against the Celtics, but oddly, only in the second half of each game.
He played all 48 minutes and put up 28 points and 10 rebounds on 48 per cent shooting with a combined net rating of 40.5. It may or may not be related, but the Raptors won all four of those quarters, one of the main reasons they are tied 2-2 and in position to take control of the series with a win in Game 5 after falling into an 0-2 hole.
With the Raptors now in a best-of-three series with the Celtics to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, it would helpful if Siakam could stretch his effectiveness but there doesn’t seem to be a particular pattern to learn from.
“I haven’t really seen anything,” said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. “I mean, I would assume some of the regular stuff: a few more opportunities, a little bit more aggressive, I don’t know.
“Even though he didn’t score a lot yesterday in the first half, I thought that from the second half of Game 3 and both halves of Game 4, he’s made good decisions,” Nurse said. “I think he’s drawn defenders and got off it and he’s put it in the basket when he’s been left single-covered a little bit more.”
There is a flip side to this, of course. It wouldn’t be a topic if there wasn’t.
Siakam is still shooting just 40.1 per cent from the field for the playoffs and 38.9 per cent for the series. In the first halves of Games 3 and 4, he was at 4-for-13 from the floor, or shooting 30.7 per cent.
If there is a theme to his second-half resurgences, it’s that Siakam finds a way to score in the paint. A 36 per cent three-point shooter over the regular season, Siakam is misfiring badly from deep. He was 2-for-13 in Game 4 and is now shooting just 22.2 per cent from deep in the playoffs.
For the record, Nurse is not among the chorus clamouring for Siakam to give up on high-volume triples for the moment.
“I believe in his mechanics and I believe in his percentages over the long haul and he’s made a good percentage in the playoffs, especially last year’s playoffs,” Nurse said. “So, I think they’re in there. What I like is the demeanor of which he’s taking them and how he’s reacting to the result, which is pretty level headed, he looks like, when they come to him, he looks like he feels like he’s going to make them and that’s what his body and his facial expressions tell me and then when he misses it he kind of says ‘man I took a good shot and I’m going to continue to take them.’ That’s what I like, I think he’s taking them like he means it.”
But in each of his last two games, Siakam has got his game rolling by looking to score more in the paint. He was 1-of-8 from three in the first half, but he altered his approach somewhat in the second as he scored five of his six second-half field goals from two-point range, including a couple of post-up with two feet in the paint that seemed to get him going. It was a similar story in Game 3 as his first two of five second-half field goals came at the rim on moves where he was in the paint before he ever got the ball.
Siakam said it wasn’t by design – he still shot his share of threes – but his second-half bursts were more a case of him not letting his first half struggles drag him down.
“(I’m) just understanding what I need to do. My abilities, what I can do on the floor, I’m way more than just a person who can score or whatever,” he said after Game 4. “I have a lot of ways that I can impact the game. I think sometimes you can get caught up in makes and misses. It’s the league. It’s basketball. Sometimes you’re gonna make shots and sometimes you’re not gonna make shots. I just have got to understand that I’ve got to keep doing other things. So that’s something that I’m focussing on, so I’m not worried about makes or misses. I want to have an impact on the game in a lot of different ways.”
To his credit and the Raptors benefit, Siakam hasn’t let his offensive ebbs and flows affect his defence. He was spectacular defensively in Game 4 in particular, getting credit for a game-high 17 shot contests, per NBA.com – the next best on either team was 11 – and 10 contests against Celtics triples, likely a contributing factor to Boston shooting 7-of-35 from three and the largest single factor explaining the Celtics’ loss.
“I mean if you’re 1-for-10 from three, you’ve got to find something else to do,” said Siakam, who is in the top-five for contested threes in the playoffs. “At the end of the day, that’s what I’ve got to do. If you’re not making shots, find ways to impact the game. That’s all I’m about. I’m always gonna do that.”
It’s appreciated.
“I mean, he’s got such a special ability,” Nurse said. “I always talk about what are his gifts? His gifts are: he’s got a great motor, can play with energy, he can do a lot, he’s got great length and athleticism, he’s quick, change of direction, that’s what kind of makes him, he’s in the paint, then he’s back out. When he’s doing that at a high concentration level his natural abilities are certainly gonna help him and then help our team.”
If he can start his second-half offensive contributions a little earlier, so much the better.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
