Brandon Ingram out-duels Pascal Siakam in the clutch

Lanky forward vs lanky forward. Former Toronto Raptors All- Star versus potential Toronto Raptors All-Star. The homegrown hero who was traded for the pieces that would become the new hero. They matched up.

And in a beautiful last second play, Brandon Ingram out-dueled Pascal Siakam for the game winner. Driving straight before stopping and immediately pulling-up, Ingram hit the contested middy over Pascal to secure the Raptors’ 9th win in their (at the time) win streak and a trip to the Emirates NBA Cup.

Coincidentally enough, both Ingram and Siakam won their conference’s Player of the Week award in week 16 of the 2022 season.

The Notorious B.I.3 finished the game with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and a transition block on 48% shooting.

Ingram logged 6 points and 3 rebounds in the 4th quarter, thriving as a middy magician. The Pacers didn’t send doubles — probably due to fear of his playmaking ability — opting to play Ingram in single coverage.

In this coverage, Ingram went off with isolation scoring, using dribble counters and hitting constantly with an inch of space. He is the Toronto Raptors’ most trusted creator in the half court. And he’s aesthetically pleasing to watch. A basketball savant, Ingram has been a fadeaway demon this year, hitting his shots on all types of angles.

Coming off a 37 point game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ingram has helped the Raptors’ gain the 2nd seed. Not only is he significant offensively, but he has been a contributor on defense. As a help defender, Ingram has been valuable with using his length to disrupt plays and recover.

Brandon has found his rhythm. And as long as he remains within it, the Toronto Raptors look like they’re ready to make a return to the playoffs.