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Pascal Siakam focusing on being ‘complete player’ over All-Star nod

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam appreciates the honour of getting another potential All Star nomination. But amid a season of adversities, he has his sights set on getting better and building chemistry with his teammates.

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Video Transcript

PASCAL SIAKAM: Oh, shit. Oh, I'm looking over here?

- Hi.

PASCAL SIAKAM: [INAUDIBLE]

- Hi, Pascal. Thanks for joining us. We have a few questions.

PASCAL SIAKAM: Hello. Yep.

- Yep.

PASCAL SIAKAM: Get this [INAUDIBLE] out of the way.

- We have a few questions for you here. We will start with Doug.

- Hello, Pascal. How are you tonight, sir?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Oh, I'm all right. How are you doing?

- I'm good. Thank you. You guys are halfway through the season now. Do you have any idea what this team is like, given you haven't been together for more than, like, four games, it seems?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, yeah, I guess we're still learning every day.

- Yeah.

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah. Yeah, learning. Hopefully we can get everyone back. Like, that's kind of like being the struggle all season. Feels like we're taking turns. But hopefully, pretty soon we can have one back and see what we look like.

- I know players, they want to play all the time, every minute. But is it sustainable to play six or seven guys game in, game out, game in, game out, without wearing guys down?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, I think-- again, I think we're young, and you know, we got our legs for it. So it's just, you know, as long as you feel good, go out there, play, compete. I think we all want to compete. And again, we just want to be out there to help our team win. And I think Coach, whoever is out there, we just got to go out there and play.

- But you haven't felt any cumulative effect of, game after game, of 38, 39, 42 minutes, only seven guys--

PASCAL SIAKAM: Say that one more time.

- You're not feeling any cumulative effect of a bunch of--

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, I think I'm good. I don't know. I think I'm good. Yeah, I think I'm good. So again, I enjoy playing, and I want to be out there to help my team win. You know, whatever I can do.

- Totally understand. Thanks as always, Pascal.

PASCAL SIAKAM: And next we'll go to Oren.

- Hey, Pascal. I wanted to ask you about Precious Achiuwa, who's strung together a few good defensive games in a row here, it feels like. I'm just wondering, what does he bring to you guys on the defensive end of the floor? And when you're kind of manning the back line with him together, you guys are acting as the rim protection, how much trust do you have in him to kind of be there at the rim?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, I think that's what he's got to do. That's kind of like all big guys. I know we don't have any seven footers, but I think just being active on defense, he has a capability-- the capacity to do it. We just got to go out there and do it every single night. And I think that it's all across the board, like we can all do that.

So he's been solid on defense. And I think that, again, like we've got to continue to get better and make sure that we stay together, all talk. I think that's super important. And I know he can slide his feet against anybody. So I think just being on the same page.

- All right. Thank you, Pascal.

PASCAL SIAKAM: And next we'll go to Michael.

- Hey, Pascal. You look at the way you guys played against the Suns, the win, obviously, you got against Milwaukee, and then today taking it to the wire against a really good team. What do you kind of take out of those three games? What does it sort of tell you about where you might be able to get to in the second half here?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I think we know what we have to do. I think when we come out-- I think today, like, it could go either way. Like a couple of mistakes, a couple of little things, and it's a different game.

So I just feel like we got to know what type of team we are, play to our strength, and bring that intensity every single night. And I think that a lot of teams won't want to play us if we have that mentality, and we come out aggressive, being the aggressor, and playing hard every single night.

And I think, again, like I always say, there's games where we have that, and there's games where we don't. I thought tonight we fought hard, like we played hard to the end, and it went their way. So we'll just try to move forward, and on to the next game.

- Thanks, Pascal. Take care.

PASCAL SIAKAM: And next we'll go to Peter.

- Hi, Pascal. Peter [INAUDIBLE], Fire Media. Recently your boots for the All-Star game jumped into the top 10 for your position. How important is it for you to be an All-Star again?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I think for me, again, obviously, it would be an honor. But I'm focusing on just, for me, physically feeling better, mentally feeling better, and going out there and playing the game with everything that I have.

Again, I always say that I feel like I'm a complete player, and that's something that I'm working on, getting better every single night on defense, and doing everything that I can to help my team win. I think that if we do that, the All-Star and all those stuff is going to come with that. But I'm really not focused on it. It feels good to be out there.

Obviously, it would be an honor. But I'm just focusing on me personally, just continuing to get better, and helping this team win. And I think the more we win, the more chances we have to either have me, or Fred, or OG, or whoever in the All-Star game.

- Thank you.

- And we do have one question in French for you, Pascal, from Mike here.

- [SPEAKING FRENCH]

PASCAL SIAKAM: [SPEAKING FRENCH]

- [SPEAKING FRENCH]

PASCAL SIAKAM: [SPEAKING FRENCH]

- [SPEAKING FRENCH]

PASCAL SIAKAM: [SPEAKING FRENCH]

- [SPEAKING FRENCH]

PASCAL SIAKAM: Oh, thank you. [FRENCH].