Raptors set for battle with Siakam, Pacers on TSN
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The Toronto Raptors are set to take on a familiar face in Pascal Siakam as they travel to Indiana Monday to take on his Pacers on TSN.
The Raptors fell to the Pacers 127-125 during their most recent meeting on Feb. 14, when Siakam scored a team-high 23 points and tallied seven assists in the win.
As the teams get set for another battle, here are five things to watch for on Monday night.
Siakam shining with Pacers
A little more than a month removed from the Jan. 17 trade that sent Siakam to the Pacers, the 29-year-old forward has settled in and begun to flourish in Indiana.
In 17 games with the Pacers, Siakam's numbers are nearly identical to the ones that made him a two-time All-Star with the Raptors as he is averaging 20.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Siakam has also been shooting the ball more efficiently in recent weeks as his three-point percentage has improved from .317 during his time with the Raptors to .420. His field goal percentage has also ticked up, improving from .552 to .562.
Pacers riding three-game win streak
The Pacers look to extend their three-game winning streak that started at the hands of the Raptors on Feb. 14.
Since then, they beat the Detroit Pistons 129-115, led by Tyrese Haliburton's 25 points and Siakam's 20, and the Dallas Mavericks 133-111 on Sunday on the back of Myles Turner's 33 points.
Barnes' All-Star season
Coming off his first career All-Star nod in Indiana just over a week ago, Scottie Barnes' ascension into stardom has taken off.
Averaging career highs in every category (20 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists), the future for the Raptors looks bright with Barnes leading the way alongside RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Barnes was selected fourth overall by the Raptors in the 2021 draft. The FSU product earned All-Rookie honours and was named the Rookie of the Year for his 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
Tale of the tape
The Raptors and the Pacers have opposite records when it comes to facing teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors (14-23) have struggled, while the Pacers (25-14) have put together a strong season thus far as they sit sixth in the East.
The Pacers are currently five games back of the Central Division-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Raptors are 24 games back from the Boston Celtics for the Atlantic Division crown.
Canadians on the court
Monday night's matchup at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse features a plethora of Canadians.
Native Torontonian Barrett is averaging a career-high 20.1 points per game since being acquired by his hometown team in a December deal with the New York Knicks with Quickley in exchange for a package highlighted by OG Anunoby.
South Kamloops’ Kelly Olynyk was acquired by the Raptors in a deal with the Utah Jazz on Feb. 8 and is contributing 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
The Pacers have a pair of contributing Canadians on their 2023-24 squad with Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin and Aurora, Ont., native Andrew Nembhard.
Mathurin was named to the All-Rookie Team last season and is averaging 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and a pair of assists per game. Nembhard is close behind Mathurin in production, averaging 9.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.