The Toronto Raptors had a chance to win back-to back games for the first time this season, but their comeback fell short against the Golden State Warriors despite a rare off night from All Star guard Steph Curry.
With his team down 106-105, Raptors All-Star forward Pascal Siakam had a chance to win the game for Toronto, but his turnaround jumper over Andrew Wiggins fell short–allowing the Warriors to escape with the victory.
Andrew Wiggins is having the best defensive season of his career for the Warriors. Great moment here by him against Pascal Siakam, who looked flummoxed as soon as he caught the ball. Crazy game. pic.twitter.com/HZthyfgmJP
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 11, 2021
After the game, head coach Nick Nurse revealed that Siakam was actually the team’s Plan B in that final possession and that his final shot was a decent second option, per Josh Lewenberg of The Sports Network.
Nurse said Siakam was "Plan B" on that final possession, "but it was a decent Plan B". He thinks they could've executed it a bit better and maybe found Pascal a driving lane, but thought he got a clean look that just went in and out. "Kinda the way the ball's been bouncing."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) January 11, 2021
Pascal Siakam, who finished with a game-high 25 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, admitted that while he could have created more separation from Wiggins when he took the shot, he thought he had gotten a good look that could have won the Raptors the game.
“I thought (the shot) was going in. I work on that shot all the time, so I like the look that I had,” Siakam told Lewenberg.
With the Raptors up by two in the final seconds, Warriors swingman Damion Lee was fouled and converted both charities to give the Warriors the slimmest of margins–which then set up Siakam’s final shot.
Aside from Siakam’s scoring output, Fred VanVleet finished with 21 points for the Raptors, while Kyle Lowry, Chris Boucher and OG Anunoby all finished in double figures in the loss, their seventh of the season against two wins. The team looks to bounce back from the defeat when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.