Pascal “MIP But Replace the I with a V” Siakam’s late-game heroics were not enought to beat the Rockets. The Raptors came almost all the way back thanks to Siakam and the incredible boneheadedness of Eric Gordon, but you know who ruined it all for everybody?
Kawhi Leonard.
That last shot was the worst thing I ever seen. Why stand around and dribble as precious seconds dwindle away with your team down by two? Holding the ball for the last shot only makes sense when the game is tied. There is no way to blame Uncle Dennis for this one: Leonard screwed up, waited too long, got locked up by James Harden, and threw up an airball as time expired.
I’m not saying the last shot should’ve gone to Siakam, because he wasn’t doing so great creating offense for himself in this game, but I’m saying that maybe Leonard is a big loser choker bitch who withers on the big stages. Siakam, we don’t know that about him yet. But I like to think he has more testicular fortitude (thanks Mick Foley for that term, and screw off Bill Simmons for stealing it without attribution) than that.