Pascal Siakam opened the 2019-20 season with a bang.
In 38 minutes of play, Siakam led the Toronto Raptors over the New Orleans Pelicans with 34 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. He shot only 11-for-26 from the field, but he went 2-for-5 from the 3-point line and 10-for-11 from the free throw line.
With those numbers, Siakam made history in more ways than one.
The dynamic duo
Siakam and Fred VanVleet did something that's only been done four other times in NBA history.
Both of them finished with 34 points, a historic season-opening outing.
According to Justin Kubatko of StatMuse, it's been nearly 40 years since teammates each scored at least 34 points in a season opener.
Furthermore, it's something that's only been done four times before. The first to do so were Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman in 1961. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (1964), West and Wilt Chamberlain (1969) and Kiki Vandeweghe and Dan Issel (1983) are the other other duos to reach those marks.
The @Raptors Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet are just the fifth duo in NBA history to each score at least 34 points in a season opener. They join:
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) October 23, 2019
* Robertson & Twyman (10/21/1961)
* Baylor & West (10/17/1964)
* Chamberlain & West (10/17/1969)
* Issel & VanDeWeghe (10/28/1983)
A high scoring affair
Siakam and VanVleet are also now one of six Raptors to score 30 or more points in a season opener.
DeMar DeRozan has the franchise record with 40 points, followed by Vince Carter with 39. After them: Siakam and VanVleet (34), Jonas Valanciunas (32) and Alvin Robertson (30).
The most Kyle Lowry has scored in a season opener is 27 points, which he did last season against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Siakam joins Vince Carter in the record books
According to NBA.com/Stats, Siakam is now the second player in Raptors history to record 30 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a single game.
The only other Raptor to do so is Vince Carter.
With 34 points, 18 rebounds, and 5 assists tonight, Pascal Siakam joins Vince Carter (Dec. 7, 2001) as the only players in @Raptors history to record at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game. pic.twitter.com/lkhXF4ShBh
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) October 23, 2019
Carter's performance came in an overtime win against the Denver Nuggets back on Dec. 7, 2001. He finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.
The difference between Siakam and Carter, of course, is Siakam did it in the first game of the season. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he's only the fourth player in the last 40 years to put up those numbers in a season opener.
A Barkley-like showing
Those three other players Siakam joined: Anthony Davis (twice), Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, per Basketball Reference.
Of those three, Barkley was the only one to go for 30-20 — he exploded for 37 points, 21 rebounds and eight assists in a win over the LA Clippers on Nov. 7, 1992.
As for the others, Anthony Davis went for 50 points, 15 rebounds and five assists against the Nuggets on Nov. 26, 2016. He followed that up with 32 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists against the Houston Rockets two years later, on Nov. 17, 2018.
Malone, meanwhile, posted 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in a win over the Nuggets on Nov. 3, 1989.
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