Pascal Siakam is the reigning Most Improved Player in the NBA, and the way he started this season — 25.1 points and eight rebounds a game with an increased workload — he looked like he could win it again.
Then he injured his groin and missed 11 games.
Sunday night against the Spurs, Siakam was back (as was Norman Powell).
Pascal Siakam is going to start today for Toronto, per Nick Nurse. He will be on a minutes limit. Norman Powell is also back, and will start.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 12, 2020
Siakam may not win MIP again (Devonte’ Graham may be tough to beat) but he should be a first-time All Star in Chicago next month.
Toronto started the season 19-8 but was hit by a rash of injuries — Marc Gasol and Fred Van Vleet are still out — and went 6-5 without Siakam. The Raptors need to get some wins to hold on to home court in the first round, just 3.5 games separate the two through six seeds in the East and matchups are going to matter in the postseason.
