Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

The NBA has named Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam its Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 16.

24.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steal, and a 4-0 record? Yep, that’ll do it! Couple of those wins were against the top seeds in the conference too.

Siakam has been brilliant as both a primary scorer and secondary ballhandler/playmaker lately, and we’re thrilled that the NBA is starting to (finally) take notice. On the season Siakam is averaging 21./8.6/5.1, and is one of just five NBA players averaging 20/8/5 or better. It’s also worth remembering that Siakam had a somewhat slow start, coming back from shoulder surgery; he missed all of camp and the first 10 games of the season. Since the end of November 2021, the averages are 22.8/9.2/5.7, on 48/37/74 shooting splits.

All of which is to say, Siakam is rounding back into his 2019-20 All-NBA form beautifully. The delayed/slow start may have cost him an All-Star reserve spot, but there’s still a chance he makes it as an injury replacement — and this award can only help his case there. Beyond that he’s definitely making a case to appear on the All-NBA roster again, and if the Raptors keep climbing up the standings, it’ll be pretty dang hard to leave him off.

Siakam and the Raptors are back in action tonight against the Charlotte Hornets.