Pascal Siakam praises Raptors' culture after 6th straight win

Yahoo Sports Canada Videos

January 9, 2022 at 10:51 p.m.

"We've always been a winning organization, that's what the Raptors are all about," Siakam said after dropping 29 points versus the Pelicans on Sunday night. Follow our Raptors coverage all season long on Yahoo Sports Canada.

Video Transcript

Go ahead.

Pascal, when you and Fred are both playing, I mean, a lot of guys on the team right now, but when you and Fred specifically are playing at the level of which you've been playing over the last six games, how fun is it to feed off of each other?

Oh, yeah. It's fun. Obviously definitely reminds us of old times, just being on the floor together and the bench mob, and obviously winning the championship and all of those things. And it feels good. And I think when we're all rolling and playing well, it's fun. It's fun to play, obviously winning is fun, so that's good and we enjoy it and just try to get better as we go.

What's it like seeing JV?

I mean, we didn't get that many rebounds. He was like pushing us around and stuff. But it feels good. It feels good, man. Obviously those memories, having those guys around, and they were definitely some of the people that for us coming in, we looked up to and what they did in here. And it's pretty special. And we got opportunities to learn from them. And so yeah, it's awesome. I mean I wish there was a crowd so he can get some type of ovation or something, but yeah, maybe next time.

You have been attacking downhill to the rim against some big guys like JV recently. Is that just feeling healthier and more confident in your shoulder and stuff?

I mean I think it's part of it. But also just continuing to take whatever the defense gives me and feeling like I have an advantage every time I'm out there on the floor and just taking that. And I feel like, again with my shoulder, and just starting to feel more and more comfortable. And I remember talking to Alex, we knew it was going to take time and it was just about being patient and continue to trust everything that we did like the work that we did and just going out there every single day pushing and hoping to feel as more comfortable as we go.

So on the broadcast, Jack and Matt suggesting that when you have the ball in your hands and the offense is running through you, you almost look like a different guy, a different player. It's more energy to your team's swag. Do you agree with that or do you feel different when you're kind of--

Oh, I can agree with that because I feel like I'm always a threat out there and I'm getting better every day I'm making decisions with the basketball. And I feel like obviously when I have that ability to make plays and I feel like the ball should be run by me. And especially when we've got a group out there with me, Scottie, and like Precious and Chris and all those guys. I feel like I should be able to make good decisions and make sure I make everyone better. If that's scoring. that's what it is. And if not, just putting everyone in the right spots.

How far do you think you've come? You're basically playing something like a point guard when you came into the league [INAUDIBLE] your position

Yeah. Man. Yeah, yeah. It's pretty interesting. You know? I like it. This is always something that-- I remember coming in, people used to always laugh at me when I said I didn't want to be like a traditional big and coming into college. And I put the work in and I just felt like the more experience I get with the basketball, the better I get. Because some of those situations, if you haven't been through them, you don't know what to do. And I feel like I'm getting more experience with it and I'm feeling more and more comfortable. And I think the more I play, also the better I get.

This is a bit off topic, because Klay Thompson made his return. He's playing right now. What do you think his return means to the league and you guys were one of the last to play against him two years ago.

Yeah. It's great, man. Yeah, it's awesome. I think-- obviously it's hard to see guys you go through injuries, I mean myself going through an injury, and nothing near what he's going through, but just knowing what that feels like and just having now the opportunity to get back on the floor. I'm sure he's pumped. I'm sure the whole Warriors organization, everyone is excited. I know the fans are excited and just us watching the game. We want to see the Splash Brothers back at it playing basketball and I think it's great for the NBA.

A few questions for you online, Pascal. Go ahead, Christos.

Hello, Pascal. Congratulations on the win and the performance as well. Do you feel at this point of the season, you guys are playing winning basketball?

Huh?

Do you feel that you're playing winning basketball at this point of the season because you have six straight wins, you play great, how do you feel-- how do you approach that?

I feel like we're getting better. We're getting better as a team. And obviously it's translating to wins right now, but I feel like it's just continuing to get better. We know some of the things that we don't do well and when we have even if it's a quarter or like halves where we're not doing well, we know what to do. And once when we play the right way, it's fun. And most of the time it translates to winning. And I think that we've always been a winning organization. That's what the Raptors are about. And it's all about winning and finding ways to win. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but I think that we are an organization that takes pride in winning. And that's all we're about.

To share the leadership of the team with Fred, how enjoyable is this for you?

I think it's fun, man. We have a pretty young team, I'd like to think. And I just feel like we go out there, we have fun, we enjoy it, and we don't take it personal and it's all about winning. And we learn from each other and we continue to get better. And I think that the more we do that, the more fun it is. And I think at the end of the day, so much into but the game of basketball, and sometimes we just want to have fun. And again, it was one thing that we were talking about like the years before, it was like when you're not winning, everyone is mad and everyone is in their feelings. So when you win it's a different atmosphere.

Thank you very much.

Two questions for you in French, Pascal.

Go ahead, Mike.

- [SPEAKING FRENCH] Pascal.