2019 NBA Finals: Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors preview
By Ananth Para
Key Matchup: Draymond Green vs. Pascal Siakam
Stephen Curry vs. Kyle Lowry? Nope, not close.
Kevin Durant vs. Kawhi Leonard? Is Kevin Durant healthy? Try again.
Klay Thompson vs. Danny Green? Don’t make me laugh.
DeMarcus Cousins vs. Serge Ibaka/Marc Gasol? Is anyone really expecting Boogie to play more than 20 minutes a game?
Pascal Siakam’s start to his career is almost parallel to one Draymond Green.
Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the Greater Toronto Area, Pascal Siakam has been long treasured by the Raptors fanbase due to the potential oozing out of the combo forward since being the 27th draft pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Under the prior coaching regime and with veteran Serge Ibaka on the roster, Spicy P started a total 43 games for the past two seasons. Enter Nick Nurse.
With Ibaka’s willingness to become a super-sub, Siakam has flourished under Nurse to become Toronto’s most versatile defender and the heart and soul of the team, along with floor general Kyle Lowry and superstar Kawhi Leonard to the NBA Finals.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t?
Although there are some clear discrepancies between the two combo forwards, the two serve similar purposes on their respective teams. Answering who will have a greater impact on the game will help determine the outlook of the NBA Finals.
Although Draymond Green is clearly the better player currently and has made a living off completely taking over a game while only taking five shots, Siakam’s game-breaking speed in the open court and ability to disrupt passing lanes can disrupt the free-flowing offense of the Warriors.