Pascal Siakam's 37-point triple-double drives Raptors past 76ers

The Toronto Raptors are eager to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs. If it weren't for his passion for taking on the 76ers, the reason for winning the game last Thursday night would be hollow. This condition was recognized by the Raptors coach, Nick Nurse before the game started.

Without the presence of Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, the Raptors show no potential playoff opponents. This time, Siakam recorded his third career triple-double with 37 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds as the Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 119-114.

Siakam said to be NBA's best forward

While Fred VanVleet is taking some time off before the playoffs to relax, the Raptors aren't not giving Siakam a chance to beat them. Perhaps they're chasing an All-NBA bid for the 28-year-old forward who terrified the 76ers from the mid-range on Thursday night. With Embiid crowding the paint, Siakam, who stands 6-foot-9, simply kept rising with his short-range floater, finishing with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists for his second triple-double of the season and third of his career.

Boisterous cheers by the fans standing in the stands were for him as he stood at the free-throw line to seal the Toronto team.

In short, there is no reason to say that Siakam is not on the list of the top-six forward in the NBA. There may be some trickery that will keep him out of the All-NBA team if Embiid or Nikola Jokic takes his place as the first-team center. however, as a leading NBA striker, he is one of the best. He has shown tremendous progress and achievements throughout the season. Moreover, lately, his performance has increased.

Achiuwa as Raptors substitute

Lately, Precious Achiuwa has become an immeasurable factor for the Raptors. Although he does not always create a game that seems to have a mature and intelligent calculation, he has its own potential that makes the game always feel beautiful to enjoy.

So far, he has always believed in his three-pointer. At one point in the fourth quarter, he brought the ball onto the court and made a Kyle Lowry triple pull-up transition to give the Raptors a 10-point lead.

Unfortunately, as the playoffs progressed, Achiuwa displayed something different from his position as a substitute for the Raptors. If only that night he could hit the three-pointer as he did Thursday with a 5-for-7 shot from long range and 20 points, Toronto will be a very tough opponent.

During the match, several players from both teams suffered the following injuries:

- OG Anunoby, who has been out with a right thigh injury, is expected to return to the Raptors on Sunday.

- After suffering a blow to the face in the third quarter, Chris Boucher had to leave the game. He took his time getting up, his face bleeding. Before returning in the fourth quarter, he walked to the locker room.

Next Journey

- With Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia competing for second through fourth place in the East, the Raptors' postseason opponent may not be determined until Sunday's regular-season finales.

- The Raptors play Houston on Friday and New York on Sunday to round up the regular season.