On Off Shooting Night, Siakam Shows His Versatility Remains Crucial for Raptors

Pascal Siakam is probably never going to be a truly elite NBA scorer.

Through eight playoffs games, the Toronto Raptors' star forward has been a little up-and-down offensively, with more down than up. His scoring efficiency has dropped off significantly from the regular season, but that's partially expected in the playoffs when opposing teams begin to key in on top scorers.

In Saturday's Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, Siakam's 3-point shot was not falling. He went 2-for-13 from behind the arc and didn't attempt a two-point shot until late in the second quarter. It was a concerning look for Siakam who is usually at his best when he's attacking the rim. But for the most part, they were pretty good looks. Six of his 13 3-pointers were classified as "wide open" by NBA Stats, meaning the closest defender was over six feet away, and another seven were considered "open," meaning the nearest defender was between four and six feet away. During the regular season, he made "wide open" shots at a 37% clip and "open" shots at a 36.5% rate.

"I believe in his mechanics and I believe in his percentages over the long haul," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "He’s made a good percentage in the playoffs, especially last year’s playoffs. So I think they’re in there."

What's more important, Nurse said, was that Siakam took his shots with confidence. While it may be maddening for Raptors fans to see Siakam continue to shoot 3s when his shot isn't falling, the fact that he's willing to take open looks without hesitating is a good sign, Nurse said.

Equally important, was the fact that Siakam didn't seem to let his 3-point shooting struggles affect the rest of his game. He had one of his best defensive games of the year in Game 4, contesting 17 shots including 10 behind the arc.

"He's got such a special ability," Nurse said. "I always talk about what are his gifts? His gifts are: He's got a great motor, can play with energy, he can do a lot, he's got great lengths and athleticism, he's quick, change of direction, that's what kind of makes him, he's in the paint, then he's back out."

Siakam's ability to close-out on shooters has been so crucial to the Raptors' defensive scheme this year. He led the NBA in contested 3-pointers during the regular season with 336 contested 3s, forcing opposing shooters to either hesitate or rush their stroke when they're shooting. It makes those so-called "open" or "wide open" 3s feel a lot more contested when there's a 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan sprinting out to disrupt your shot.

In the fourth quarter Saturday, he showed off his ability to frustrate shooters, getting late contests on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum 3-point attempts.

Siakam might never be able to do the kind of things Kawhi Leonard did for the Raptors last season, but as long as he doesn't let his offensive inconsistency affect his game elsewhere, his versatility in other facets of the game will continue to be pivotal for the Raptors in these playoffs.