The Chicago Bulls will dodge Toronto’s best player in their upcoming back-to-back series.
The Raptors officially announced that All-Star forward Pascal Siakam has suffered a strained right adductor and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Siakam started the season averaging a career-high 24.8 points with 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
The Raptors, who currently sit 5-4 and have averaged nearly 130 points over their past three games, have relied heavily on Siakam’s two-way talent. While they still have names like Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr. to put up a fight, there is no question the absence of Siakam could have quite the impact in these upcoming two matchups with the Bulls.
Toronto already lacks size in the frontcourt, and while the Bulls will not have Andre Drummond on the court due to a shoulder injury, this will give Nikola Vucevic another opportunity to feast on the glass.
Having said all that, this is still a Raptors team that plays as hard as anyone in the league. Their top-4 net rating to start the year may have a lot to do with Siakam, but they have the coaching and depth to stay afloat over these next couple of weeks. In other words, the 5-5 Bulls must still walk into this one ready for a battle.