Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam is one of the more versatile players in the NBA. His length allows him to guard several positions, and his ability to create a shot on the fly has become an asset for Toronto. The Cameroonian native was an All-Star in the regular season after his postseason heroics last season, but he's struggling to find a rhythm in the NBA's bubble complex.
A lot of Siakam's postseason woes can be credited to his opponents, plus the fact that Kawhi Leonard is no longer there to take pressure off of him. Teams are making a pointed effort to clamp down on Siakam as the No. 1 option, which forces other players, such as Kyle Lowry, to elevate their game even more. This strategy has worked well for the Boston Celtics, who will have the opportunity to eliminate the Raptors in Game 6.
Siakam has been off the mark in the bubble. In 16 games played there, he has shot 40.4 percent from the field and 28.3 percent on 3-pointers. In Toronto's nine playoff games, he has shot 41.1 percent from the field and 21.3 percent from downtown. Thanks in large part to solid defense from Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, Siakam is shooting just 15.4 percent on 3-pointers (4-for-26) in Toronto's series against Boston, and they've done a great job taking away his patented spin move on drives to the basket.
For a bit of perspective, Siakam shot 45.3 percent from the field in the regular season and 35.9 percent from deep.
Siakam was great in last year's playoffs, helping his team win its first NBA championship. Now, with elimination knocking at his door after an ugly Game 5 loss in which Siakam had just 10 points and four rebounds, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is hoping his star forward can rekindle that drive:
“I’m not sure he’s been in great rhythm since the restart,” Nurse said of Siakam, via Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports. “It’s too bad because he was spectacular in last year’s playoffs and he was spectacular all season long. We still have some games to play. Hopefully, he can get his rhythm.”
Raptors coach Nick Nurse laments Pascal Siakam’s play in the Bubble after Game 5 loss to Celtics: “I’m not sure why he’s been so out of rhythm. He hasn’t had a lot of great games. It’s too bad because he was spectacular in last year’s playoffs and spectacular all year long.” pic.twitter.com/huXbyH5WGu
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 8, 2020
So, what can the Raptors do to get Siakam back on track? His teammate, Kyle Lowry, suggested more pick-and-roll sets, which could lead to mismatch opportunities and getting Siakam easier looks both around the basket and from the outside. Fred VanVleet had similar sentiments, but he also noted that he needs to do a better job of finding Pascal on the court:
“We’ve got to look at the film to see how we can get him going early, put him in better spots and try to help him,” VanVleet said, via USA TODAY. “As a point guard, I’ve got to do a better job of putting him position to succeed so he’s not working so hard for every bucket. Give them credit. They’re putting a lot of attention on him and making it hard for him.”
If the Raptors are to win another NBA title, they'll need Pascal Siakam to rise to the occasion. He's one of the most important pieces of the team, with the ability to influence a game with his raw talent. Let's see if he answers the proverbial bell, which will be even more important if Serge Ibaka can't go due to an ankle injury suffered in Game 5. Ibaka has been a major contributor off the bench for Toronto, so even more pressure would be on Siakam if his fellow big man can't play.
Game 6 between the Raptors and Celtics is set to tip inside the bubble complex at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. ESPN will have live broadcast coverage.
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