Siakam powers Raptors past Spurs 112-98

The Toronto Raptors are focused on putting out a professional effort even as trade rumours swirl around the team.

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are focused on putting out a professional effort even as trade rumours swirl around the team.

Pascal Siakam’s 37 points led all scorers in Toronto’s 112-98 win over the struggling San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Point guard Fred VanVleet said he wasn’t paying attention to any of the media reports surrounding Thursday’s trade deadline but acknowledged that he and several of his Raptors teammates could be moved.

“We’ve got a lot of good players on a team that’s not winning. That’s pretty much it,” said VanVleet, who had 16 points and four assists. “We haven’t played up to our standard this year so we put ourselves in this position. Now you’ve got to deal with it.

“We understand there’s going to be probably every team in the league calling. We’ve got a lot of guys that a lot of teams want and we’re not in a great situation.”

Siakam also pulled down 10 rebounds and added a team-best seven assists as Toronto (26-30) won its third straight. It was his fourth 30-point double-double of the season and 22nd of his career.

Chris Boucher added 18 off the Raptors bench — including seven in the fourth quarter — and had 11 rebounds. The Montreal native said he has been through trade deadlines “way too much” but that this year’s feels different.

“Because we are losing, obviously,” said Boucher. “But for a team that has been in all the talks and all that, I think we’re doing a really good job to stay positive and stay together.

“You just never know what is going to happen so we just try to stay together. We want to win games. That is the only focus we have now.”