JUST IN: Pascal Siakam relishes the beginning of his journey back to Toronto before adding a little spiciness to the conclusion.

With a late shot, a former Raptors player gives the Pacers a two-point victory.

It was good to get up with former friends and teammates, and watching the tribute video made Pascal Siakam realize how much he had contributed to the Raptors.

But when the video finished and Siakam found himself standing in the center of Scotiabank Arena, he noticed that every fan in the limelight was donning a version of his No. 43 Toronto jersey, and that’s when it all happened.

After winning 127-125 against the Raptors on his return to the city after eight years of playing here, Siakam commented, “To see that whole section with my jerseys, that almost got me right there.”

That particular evening saw the return of a cherished player who had been banished by the team. Siakam felt the adoration from all directions as he received the same treatment as so many other, equally worthy former Raptors.

The few thousand spectators who had already settled into their seats started cheering as soon as Siakam entered the court as the final Pacers player.

Before he could get to midcourt, his longtime friend Jakob Poeltl embraced him. Scottie Barnes stood and talked and laughed for a minute or two, Gradey Dick said hi, and Garrett Temple walked over to express the same gratitude.

There was a long standing ovation for the customary tribute film, which was shifted to the team introductions from the customary first timeout slot so Siakam could actually watch it. There were also applause whenever he accomplished anything, such as making a game-winning basket with roughly 20 seconds remaining.

Setting aside the night’s obviously emotional undertones wasn’t easy.

After the game, Siakam remarked, “I tried to just stay focused on the game and not think about anything as much as I could, but it’s just hard.” “It was amazing to walk in and see so many familiar faces while also having time to think about everything.”

“I think the most important thing for me was to come in here after eight years and just see the reception, people being so genuinely happy.”

For his contributions to the franchise, the Cameroonian native received genuine joy from the public. He grew up in front of everyone’s eyes, accepted the city, the nation, and the culture, and won a title.

He was deserving of every honor.

Regarding the ninety-second film, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic stated, “I felt it as an homage to our friend and ex-teammate, I did not feel it as a distraction.” “Players, coaches, and everyone else in this organization has a great deal of love and respect for Siakam.”