Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is concerned about Pascal Siakam's recent performances. Unfortunately, he has no idea why last year's Most Improved Player is on a slump.
Siakam had one of his off-nights in Game 5 where he only totaled 10 points and attempted just nine shots. He was also 0-2 from long-distance and did not book a trip to the free throw line all-game long. Clearly, the 26-year-old — and the entire Raptors unit for that matter — lacked the aggressiveness on Monday as they fell to the Celtics 111-89.
“I'm not sure why he's been so out of rhythm since the restart. He hasn't had a lot of great games,” Nick Nurse said of Pascal Siakam, per Josh Lewenberg of The Sports Network. “It's too bad because he was spectacular in last year's playoffs and he was spectacular all season long. We still have games to go. Hopefully he can get his rhythm.”
As Nurse puts it, the Cameroonian has been on and off since the NBA restart in Orlando. Prior to the unexpected mid-season halt, Siakam was rolling as he averaged 23.6 points per game in 53 games he suited up for. However, all the adjustments and distractions getting into the Bubble seemed to affect the forward's game, with his averages dipping to 16.9 points in the Raptors' first seven games in Orlando before the playoffs.
Siakam's contribution took another hit, as it further dropped to 15.8 points in five games so far against Boston. And after his 10-point performance, it's clear that “Spicy P” is a bit mild in Orlando.
Nurse knows that for the Raptors to be successful, they need Siakam to play at a high level and get it rolling. Unfortunately for the defending champions, they're running out of time after the Celtics pushed them to the brink of elimination. Game 6 of the series is on Wednesday.
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