Ex-Raptors star Siakam off to historic start to NBA playoffs

Pascal Siakam seems to be doing just fine in his first playoff action away from the Toronto Raptors.

In his first two games with the Indiana Pacers, Siakam has dropped 73 points, 24 rebounds, and eight assists in 79 minutes of action.

Those numbers put him in pretty rarified air: as per the Pacers, he’s one of just five players in NBA history to score 35+ points, 10+ rebounds & 60+ field goal % in consecutive playoff games, joining three current Hall of Famers and one projected future one in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain.

Pascal Siakam first two games of the playoffs:

Game 1: 36 PTS | 13 REB | 60 FG%
Game 2: 37 PTS | 11 REB | 69.6 FG%

fifth player in NBA history to have 35+ PTS, 10+ REB & 60+ FG% in consecutive playoff games (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt… pic.twitter.com/AbKx9WAycq

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 24, 2024

And yes, his 36.5 points per game and 12 rebounds per game are both leading the league through two games.

The Pacers will still have their work cut out for them to go on a long playoff run, however, as they’re currently tied 1-1 against the Milwaukee Bucks in their best-of-seven series.

Siakam spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors before being sent to Indiana earlier this year as part of a package centred around three first-round picks as well as Bruce Brown and Kira Lewis Jr.

During his time in Toronto, he made both a pair of All-NBA teams and All-Star teams, as well as picking up the Most Improved Player award in 2018-19, the year he and the Raptors won their first NBA championship.

“I don’t look back, to be honest. At the end of the day, it is what it is, man. And I’ve expressed it a thousand times, this was home for me. I’ve always wanted to be here [in Toronto] and be a part of this, but at the end of the day, I also understand what it is. And one of the things I always say, I grew up here as a kid. I came in as a young guy. I was just like ‘I’m so excited, everything was great and amazing and I’m learning,’” Siakam said on February 14, per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.

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