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Toronto Raptors: Early takeaways from first five games of 2020-21 season

By Derek Therriault

Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

The Bad: Norman Powell and Pascal Siakam

There’s no other way to say it, Norman Powell and Pascal Siakam are struggling on both ends.

Defensively, the problem for Powell comes in the form of just mental mistakes. Watch this clip against New Orleans, down two, Anunoby has perfect position in front of Brandon Ingram’s drive to the rim, and Powell just swipes from the corner and fouls Ingram putting the Raptors in a terrible position down four with 12 seconds left.

It’s been those kinds of plays all year so far for Powell and his 32.6 percent from the field just does not help either.

Siakam is struggling to, well, just stay on the floor. He’s fouled out in two of his four games so far. His first foul out caused him to leave the floor which led the team to sit him for a game as punishment.

Oddly enough it was the Raptors’ only win against the Knicks. Siakam is struggling offensively as well, 28 percent from three is not a good number, neither is 39.4 percent from the field considering how much of his game comes around the rim. He’s also turning it over 3.5 times per game, and he’s only taken eight total free throws in his four games after averaging more than five per game last season.

I trust Siakam to turn it around, but things aren’t looking good for the 1-4 Raptors right now, and I think it’s fair to say he is one of the reasons why.

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