Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam says a lot of the blame for the team's second-round playoff exit is on his shoulders.
"Obviously, I have to be better," Siakam said after the Raptors' Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics. "It was definitely a learning moment for me just learning from this experience and just learning that you've gotta be ready and I wasn't able to help my teammates. I take a lot of the blame, man."
Siakam, who was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team this season, averaged just 14.9 points on shooting to 38.2% during the Raptors' seven-game series against the Celtics.
"I'm proud of him and I love him," Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said of his teammate. "He's my brother. I'll go to war with him any day, and I know that he didn't play up to his standard and he didn't play the way that he'd like to, but I loved his effort and his intensity, and he never pointed fingers, he never was a bad teammate.
"He just kept trying and it didn't work out for him. It's part of the journey. Everyone has ups and downs, and unfortunately his came at this time. It happens. It happens to everyone."
The Celtics will play the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, Tuesday.
[Via]