East Notes: Raptors, Pascal Siakam, Wizards, Jordan Poole, Cavs

Raptors

Big man Pascal Siakam paved the way for the Raptors’ comeback win over the Wizards on Monday, scoring 22 points in the third quarter.

“He drove us all the way,” forward Chris Boucher said. “It shows how competitive he is, but also how much he cares about this team.”

The game marked the second time in a week the Raptors overcame a deficit of more than 20 points to win this season. They did it first against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.

“Every time you come back in a game down 20, it’s amazing,” Boucher said. “Definitely happy with the win, but we don’t want any games like that.”

• Coach Darko Rajakovic echoed those sentiments. “We ended up winning the game but, to be honest with you, I prefer not to dig a hole of 19 points at halftime,” he said.

Wizards

• The Wizards have lost seven of eight after surrendering two massive runs in the past several days. One came against the Raptors on Monday, when they led by 23 at one point and by 12 with 5:47 left in the game.
• Washington also gave up a 15-0 run in Sunday’s loss to the Nets. Before that, the Wizards were up by five.
• Guard Delon Wright will be re-evaluated in three weeks after suffering a left knee sprain in Friday’s loss to the Hornets.
• The Wizards may have traded for guard Jordan Poole to build up his value and then flipping him to another team, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. It’s not going so well early, though, as Poole is shooting just 41 percent from the field — and a miserable 30 percent on 3-pointers.

Cavaliers

Star guard Donovan Mitchell suggested there’s no reason for major concern after the Cavs’ road loss to the Kings on Monday, but he didn’t just brush it off, either.

“I said come to me after Game 10,” Mitchell said, via Chris Fedor of Clevleland.com. “Well, this was Game 10. Gotta figure this s— out. I think the biggest thing now is finding a level of consistency.”

The Cavs (4-6) are off to a much slower start than last season, when they raced to an 8-1 record in Mitchell’s first year in Cleveland. Injuries can be partially to blame for their struggles in the first two weeks. But now with most everyone healthy, there are no good reasons to be up-and-down.

“I don’t think this is panic button,” Mitchell said. “It’s not the best feeling, but we have to figure it out. I think it’s more of a, ‘Let’s go’ attitude as opposed to what it was a few games ago.”

• Coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters that when it comes to the Cavs, it all comes down to defense. I have plenty more in the latest batch of dribbles right here.