TORONTO – Pascal Siakam has nothing however love and respect for the folks of Toronto and the Raptors gamers and workers who he used to work with.
However there was no means he was leaving Toronto and not using a win.
Siakam had 23 factors to steer his Indiana Pacers previous the Raptors 127-125 on Wednesday in his first recreation towards his former group since being traded away final month. The 29-year-old Siakam was celebrated all day however, behind his head, he knew what he needed to do.
“You don’t wish to are available in and lose and it was a factor on my thoughts,” mentioned Siakam with a smile. “When everybody was telling me like, ‘Oh, man, I’m so comfortable to see you’ in my head I’m similar to ‘I’ve received to get a win. I can’t lose this recreation.’”
Siakam additionally had seven assists and 5 rebounds for Indiana (31-25). He was traded from the Raptors on Jan. 17 in a blockbuster deal that successfully ended Toronto’s 2019 championship period.
Tyrese Haliburton and Isaiah Jackson every had a double-double for the Pacers. Haliburton scored 21 factors and added 12 assists, with Jackson including 15 factors with 11 boards. Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., had 14 factors, 5 assists and three rebounds.
Siakam mentioned Haliburton has actually impressed him in his first 14 video games with Indiana.
“I’ve been across the league some time and he’s a type of guys that’s all about getting the win,” he mentioned. “That’s uncommon and particular in a younger participant.”
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Scottie Barnes had a double-double with 29 factors and 12 rebounds for Toronto (19-36). RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., had 23 factors and 9 boards.
Barnes, who had grow to be the face of the Raptors and the focus of the group’s offence since Siakam’s departure, mentioned it was “form of bizarre” to play towards his buddy and former teammate.
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“It was emotional however we’re each actually good rivals and we each wish to win and we wish to take it to the ground each time we step on the ground,” mentioned Barnes. “Very aggressive in the present day. It felt wonderful although.
“They had been aggressive and we had been actually aggressive. Each groups simply actually wished to win.”
Each time Siakam appeared on Scotiabank Area’s video displays through the singing of the nationwide anthems the sold-out crowd of 19,800 cheered. He was additionally the final participant introduced through the Pacers’ group introductions, with a prolonged video tribute performed to formally welcome him to the courtroom.
Siakam was standing close to centre courtroom when the lights got here again on, placing his hand to his coronary heart to thank the followers.
Siakam went 0 for 4 on field-goal makes an attempt to begin the sport, so Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle sat him after 5 minutes of enjoying. After a two-minute spell on the bench, Siakam returned together with his bounce shot reducing the Raptors’ result in 35-31 after 1 / 4.
“Thanks for reminding me, bro,” mentioned Siakam, when requested about his gradual begin. “It’s laborious to simply go into the sport in any case that. There are numerous feelings.
“You wish to say that you just’re going to be OK and, like, ‘I’m attempting to focus. I’ve all these little issues. I’m attempting to simply be locked in.’ However it’s laborious. It’s robust. It is a place which means rather a lot to me.”
The 2 groups had been neck-and-neck by means of the sport, with Toronto holding a 103-101 lead after three quarters.
That impasse held till Haliburton hit a 27-foot three-pointer on a Siakam help for a three-point lead with 3:59 to go. Though Immanuel Quickley replied with a bounce shot for Toronto, Siakam got here proper again with a 12-foot shot after which sank one in all his two free throws to make it 124-121.
Each groups struggled to search out their rhythm after that, killing 90 seconds of the clock with out scoring with 1:12 left to play.
Barnes hit a 22-foot pull-up jumper with one minute left, flexing as he stomped again to centre as followers roared. He then blocked Jackson’s try at a dunk, however missed his shot on the following possession.
Siakam sank an 11-foot floater with 25.1 seconds to go, restoring Indiana’s three-point lead.
Poeltl was fouled on the subsequent Raptors possession and made each of his free throws to chop the Pacers’ result in one. Jackson was shortly fouled as Indiana received the ball over half however made just one free throw with 9.6 seconds left.
Toronto referred to as a timeout to profit from the ultimate possession of the sport however Barrett missed his shot within the dying seconds of the sport to seal Indiana’s win.
BARNES ALL-STAR — Barnes was introduced with an all-star ball by Raptors basic supervisor Bobby Webster forward of tipoff. Barnes will make his first-ever all-star look this week in Indiana.
UP NEXT — The Raptors have an eight-day break due to the NBA All-Star Recreation earlier than internet hosting the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 22.
Indiana will host the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 22.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Feb. 14, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
