Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Raptors Celebrate Pascal Siakam's 52 Point Performance In Hilarious Fashion
Pascal Siakam must have known what was coming.
It was just two years ago that he was hiding in the Toronto Raptors locker room waiting for Fred VanVleet who'd just dropped 54 points to set a franchise record against the Orlando Magic. This time, it was Siakam's turn. As he walked into the locker room Wednesday night after a 52-point showing against the New York Knicks his teammates prepared.
"We need to cool him down, man," said Christian Koloko as he opened his water bottle to drench Siakam.
It took only a split second for the party to begin. VanVleet jumped up, dumping two bottles of water on his superstar while O.G. Anunoby began pelting Siakam with water bottles.
"O.G. was throwing bottles at me, like, it was pretty crazy," Siakam told reporters post-game. "But, nah, it was all fun. It was a moment for our team."
If there were any regrets Wednesday night it was the two free throws Siakam missed. Had he hit them, he would have tied VanVleet's franchise record instead of falling two shy.
"When I got back I thought about [the record] and I was pretty mad I missed two free throws," Siakam joked. "We talked about it. I'm sure he's happy his record still stands."
"I was hoping that he would crack 50," VanVleet said. "I wasn't really thinking about the 54 until the last eight seconds."
"Yeah, I held the last one so he couldn't get two free throws," VanVleet added sarcastically.
Siakam admitted he's not much of a basketball historian but appreciated the specialness of his night in Madison Square Gardens. For him, though, it was more important that his team needed those buckets to finally end their six-game skid.
When VanVleet gave out the game ball post-game, he first handed it jokingly to Raptors coach Nick Nurse who clinched his 200th career win Wednesday. Nurse held onto it only for a second before flipping it over to Siakam as the party continued.
Further Reading
Pascal Siakam goes for 52 as Raptors snap losing streak in victory over Knicks
Report: NBA teams eyeing O.G. Anunoby, could return Donovan Mitchell-type package
Even Pascal Siakam's heroics can't stop the losing as Raptors fall again to 76ers
