TAMPA, Fla. — Pascal Siakam has apparently paid the price for his late-game unsportsmanlike behaviour.
The Raptors chose not to play Siakam on Thursday against the visiting New York Knicks, starting Norman Powell in place of the struggling forward.
The move was a disciplinary measure, according to Sportsnet, after Siakam headed for the locker room in anger after fouling out in dying seconds of Tuesday's loss in Philadelphia.
The loss dropped the Raptors to 0-3 on the season, and coach Nick Nurse would have wanted to send a message to Siakam about team leadership.
Siakam has struggled since the league resumed after the four-month COVID-19 hiatus last spring.
He was solid to start on Tuesday, but scored just two points in the fourth quarter, and committed five fouls in about six minutes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2020.
The Canadian Press
