According to NBA Court Optix, Pascal Siakam is being doubled by opposing defenses on 12.6 possessions, which places him between LeBron James and Damian Lillard. All this attention is a byproduct of Siakam’s progress. With glimpses of the next step, going from All-Star to proven superstar.
Siakam put up spectacular numbers in his first nine games, averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists. But a right adductor strain halted his incredible start, and the Raptors haven’t been the same since.
Let’s be real: when a team loses its best player, there will be a downfall. Take Stephen Curry from the Warriors or Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks and the team goes from looking like a championship contender to a Lottery team.
In any Raptors game you can see the huge void left by the loss of Siakam. And the numbers back up what the eyes see. Through the first nine games of the season, with Siakam healthy, Toronto had one offensive rating of 115.6. In races since then the rating drops to 109.8. That’s the difference between an offense that ranks in the top five in the NBA and one that ranks 22nd.
Don’t miss it Hawks-Raptors of NBA Saturdays this Saturday November 20 in Vamos y NBA League Pass
Stars take the spotlight. And now that Siakam is no longer the Raptors’ focal point, the light steadily illuminates the shadows that neither team wants to show.
Toronto struggles to get open shots coming with Siakam on the floor and can’t get into a rhythm on set attacks. The Raptors are averaging just 89.7 points per 100 possessions in the half court.which ranks them 29th in the league ahead of only the Rockets.
cannot be underestimated how much he meant to the Raptors offense when Siakam did simple plays how is it:
Attracting that kind of attention is what makes Toronto’s offense tick they tend to finish in the top five in offensive rating.
The good news for the Raptors? This gives players like OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes the space to try to recreate that gravitas that Siakam brought to the table.
If either of these two youngsters is able to replicate even a fraction of what Siakam can do with his game, Toronto will be better not only throughout the seasonbut when it matters most: in the Playoffs.
How to watch NBA Saturdays between Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors?
- Day: Saturday, November 20.
- Time: 00:00 in Spain (16:00 CMDX, 18:00 ET, 22:00 AR)
- Stage: State Farm Arena, Atlanta.
- TV channel: Come (Spain).
- Flow: Movistar + (Spain), NBA League Pass
