LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company currently make up the NBA’s best team, but the Champ is here. Banged up as they are and having lost their 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers, Pascal Siakam and the defending champion Toronto Raptors come into Sunday night’s game looking to make a statement against a would-be heir to the throne.
Siakam is making the rare case for a player to win Most Improved Player in back-to-back seasons as he is averaging almost 28 points per game, nine rebounds and almost four assists as well. He’s even shooting 41.3% from the 3-point line, a sign that the league’s scouting reports still are catching up to his improvisational brilliance.
The Raptors will be without their heart and soul Kyle Lowry after their star suffered a broken thumb but their wing defenders are one of the few units that can truly give LeBron James a little bit of trouble. Even when LeBron demolished Toronto back in the 2018 playoffs with Siakam and OG Anunoby guarding him, the challenge of finding quality shots against a Raptors defense that sticks together was still difficult for a more experienced Cavaliers squad.
Now that the Raptors have championship experience and the confidence in each other that they can reach the highest heights, they will be a much tougher opponent to intimidate than most of the teams they will face in their time zone this season.
