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CHICAGO: Game 7 is a sacred ground where legends are born. It has also been known as a dark and humid place where bright lights shine on those who are less worthy.
Pascal Siakam already knows this too well.
“It wasn’t normal circumstances and I tried to fight to get over it. I just didn’t have it, you know,” the Raptors forward said. The Toronto Star as a result of another poor effort, this time in a winner-take-all duel that was narrowly the way to Boston, 92-87.
Your honest admission of having some stage fright and butterflies fluttering in your stomach is wonderfully refreshing. But it’s a post-game confession the Raptors probably didn’t want to hear.
When his new contract begins next season, Siakam’s salary for the next four years will be as follows: $ 27 million, $ 31.3 million, $ 35.6 million and $ 35.9 million.
Is he really a top player, the kind that can lead the franchise to a championship?
As you approach your prime at age 26, there is still plenty of time to grow and empower yourself. Therefore, the answer to the previous question can be justifiably postponed to allow more time and seasoning.
But for now, though, Siakam is like an Uber driver whose star rating just dropped.
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THERE IS MORE DOUBT AND LESS BELIEF.
In today’s Game 7 crucible, he finished with a mediocre 13 points in 42 minutes, going just 5 of 12 from the field. He had 11 rebounds and three assists, but also lost five turnovers, including three in the fourth quarter.
After splitting a pair of free throws with 3:12 to go and Toronto down, 89-83, Siakam became a useless participant in the Raptors offense the rest of the way, resurfacing with only a meek, missed 3 on the last 4.2 seconds with Boston up by five.
However, Siakam did not monopolize the category of mediocre performances.
Kyle Lowry, the emotional leader of the team, barely showed up with 16 points, adding just 5 of 15 from the field.
Fred VanVleet dropped 20, but disappeared into the clutch and attempted only one basket in the final five minutes — a 26-foot-3 error that would have tied the score at 90-90 with 12 seconds remaining.
AND THEN WAS NORMAN POWELL.
He had his breakaway layup that could tie the blocked game with 58.2 ticks to go and then made another error 22.8 seconds later when he failed to box Jayson Tatum, who caught a missed free throw from Boston, was fouled and made two freebies.
“You make mistakes, but it’s tough. It’s really tough,” Lowry said of Toronto’s 18 turnovers that Boston took advantage of for 18 points.
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It’s not fair to leave the Game 7 loss at Siakam’s feet. But the entire defeat of the series falls directly, solely on his lap.
Over seven games, he made just 42 of 110 shots from the field, a horrendous 38.1 percent. And his hit rate from deep was forgettable, 12.5 percent on 4 of 32 shots.
He had 52 rebounds and 23 assists, but he combined those numbers with a toxic mix of 25 fouls and 15 turnovers.
Dethroned and sent home, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse tried to leave Orlando on a positive note.
“They gave everything they have,” he said. The star.
Not really.
Siakam is coming out of the bubble with a lot more than he gave in that Game 7.
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