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NBA FINALS: WARRIORS VS. RAPTORS

May 30, 2019

Pascal Siakam

Toronto, Ontario - Postgame 1

Toronto - 118, Golden State - 109

Q. How does it feel to have the entire continent supporting you, especially being the first Cameroonian player in NBA Finals?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think it's amazing. It just shows the growth of the continent, Cameroon and just basketball in Africa in general, and kind of being at this stage and representing the continent is amazing. I feel blessed and I just wanted the game to continue to grow in Africa, and for kids to see this and hopefully it inspires them.

Q. The last few rounds there was incredible length on the floor, on you and as help defenders. Did it feel like there was more breathing room in the paint for you tonight?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I don't know, I'm not really able to tell, but I think for me it was just in transition kind of running and whatever basket I can get, easy baskets, at the rim, I try to do that.

So, yeah, to answer your question, I don't really know like if it was a difference, but for me it was just taking whatever the defense gives me.

Q. Warriors come in, they have been through The Finals before. There was some people wondering how would the Raptors handle the stage, how would they handle the moment. How do you think you guys responded tonight?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think we did pretty good job at home. The fans are amazing, man. I just want to say that. From coming out for warmup to the end of the game, it was just the support and then going crazy. I've never seen anything like that. Just happy to be a part of it.

I think for us we just, we know the team we're playing, we're playing an amazing team. They're the champions and we just got to be ready, we got to be ready. We won Game 1. We came out with a lot of -- we were very aggressive on defense, and try and make it tough for the players to find open shots, but we know that it's Game 1 and they're going to come out and make adjustments and we got to be ready for that.

Q. Maybe we can chalk it up to your soccer background but a lot of speed out there tonight, particularly when you're matching up against Draymond Green. What helped free things up for you?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think obviously getting some easy buckets in transition, something that I haven't really been able to do all playoffs, and I think just being able to run and getting easy baskets at the rim. And then from there just playing, just playing whatever defense gives me, that's why I always say, kind of playoff of that and whatever is open, just taking it with confidence and believing in myself.

Q. Did you guys kind of make a concerted effort there to come out really strong in the second half? Because the Warriors have had some like legendary third quarters here. They really seem to take it up a notch and it seemed like you guys really kept the pedal to the metal there?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think it's obviously known that they always come out in halves and put pressure on you, and I think we knew that. I mean, obviously tonight we were able to stop them. But we know that it's a point of emphasis, and we know we got to come out of halves in general. We can't have slow starts or slow halves.

Q. I wonder if you can try to put in perspective for us this incredible trajectory you are on from when you joined the NBA and wouldn't even take a three-pointer to now having the kind of game you had tonight on such a big stage.
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think, man, it's amazing and it just proves that if you put the work in, man, and it's something that it's so clichÃ© most of the time, but that's the story of my life, just going out there every single night, working hard to get to this level, and knowing that I have so much to learn and I have so much room to improve and grow. I think that's what make it's fun. And for me just kind of falling in love with the game and wanting to get better and wanting to learn. Moments like this definitely shows that I'm going to continue to be myself, continue to work hard and have so much room to improve.

Q. When you were 18 years old about six years ago, if someone told you that in your very first NBA Finals game you would put up 32 points, what would you have said to that person?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, probably that they was crazy. At that time I didn't even know if I really dreamed of being at this level. I couldn't even think about this moment because it wasn't reachable for me.

But I think once I got to the point where I felt like I had a chance, I put everything forward and I just worked really hard. Obviously with the help of a lot of people, my family, everyone in the Raptors organization, all the guys that I worked out with the summer, Rico Hines, so many people, we just continue to put the work in and prepare for times like this.

I think that when I was 18 years old I didn't think of it, but once I got to believing that it was possible, I put everything that I had to be at this level.

Q. You told Doris Burke that this was for your dad. What do you think your dad would think about how far you've come?
PASCAL SIAKAM: I think it's a question that I ask myself every single day, and I know I wish I had the answer. I know people always usually tell me that I know he's proud of you, and I kind of want to hear it from his mouth and I think it would be really cool. But for me like I always say, man, it's bigger than basketball, and every night that I go out there, I have a bigger purpose, and I play for something bigger than just basketball. And I think that's what make it's special that every night I'm out there, no matter the result, no matter how many points I score, I'm playing for something bigger than myself.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Pascal.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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