Raptors confident in their playoff No. 1

The Toronto Raptors aren't worried about Pascal Siakam's ability to be the top scoring option when the playoffs start

The NBA playoffs are all about star power.

It's a lesson the Toronto Raptors have learned year after year and as this year's playoffs approach questions still linger about the Raptor's No. 1 option.

At least outside the organization they do.

When the Raptors' playoffs tip-off on Monday all eyes will be on Pascal Siakam. The 26-year-old reigning Most Improved Player showed that he can be a superb No. 2 option on a championship team last year, averaging 19 points and just over seven points per game during the Raptors' title run last season. This year, he's taken his game to the next level, entering NBA star status while averaging nearly 23 points on 45% shooting.

But now things are about to change as the calendar turns to the playoffs and defenses tighten up.

"He's been really good down the stretch, either making the shot or making the zip out to somebody else who's wide open to make a shot which is, you know, that's another level up that you've got to go," Nurse said of Siakam back in July. "Can you do it consistently, first of all, in the regular season and then can you do it kind of consistently late in games, because that's kind of the job of being the number one option and I think he handled it great."

On Saturday, Nurse reiterated his belief in Siakam's ability to close out playoff games.

“You need somebody that can just get the ball, and put their head down, and score you one," Nurse said of playoff basketball. "And that’s [Siakam's] job. He’s done a tremendous job of that this regular season. I would imagine he answers every step-up call, every step-up-and-play call. He’s probably ready for that."

To Fred VanVleet any questions about Siakam's ability to perform in the playoffs are nonsense.

"Unless I missed something, he had a pretty damn good playoffs last year," VanVleet said. "I think he’s proven it. I don’t know who’s setting the standard, but from my eyes, I think he’s proven it."

When a reporter asked VanVleet how he'd respond to the notion that the Raptors don't have a game-ending star, he scoffed.

“I don’t have one. I don’t have a response," he said. "I will say we have a lot of guys who can take over at the end of the game. Maybe that’s better. Maybe that’s better than having one guy you can load up on. We’ve got a bunch of different guys who can make shots. We’ll roll the dice and see what happens.”

Things probably won't heat up until the second round for Toronto, but when they do the rest of the NBA world is going to find out just how good Siakam has really become.