In the first Finals game of Pascal Siakam’s career, he dropped a postseason career-high 32 points. After a breakout third season that put him on everyone’s radar, the 2019 NBA Finals served as a promise from Siakam that it was only the beginning. Though the performance raised many eyebrows, it didn’t surprise those who have been around Siakam for the duration of his time in Toronto.
“He's been given a God-given ability of having a big engine with lots of energy that enables him to play with a certain speed, athleticism, and enables him to work very hard every single day,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said after that 32-point Game 1 performance.