Pascal Siakam Ranked Among NBA's Most Efficient Isolation Scorers in the Playoffs

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam ranked among the NBA's very best isolation scorers during the playoffs this year

If playoff basketball is about scoring in isolation, then Pascal Siakam was one of the league's best this past year.

For all the grief the Toronto Raptors star forward took in the first round of the playoffs, it turns out he was one of the most efficient isolation scorers in the playoffs, beating his man one-on-one more often than almost anyone else in the league.

Of the players who averaged at least three isolation attempts per game, Siakam ranked seventh-best, scoring 1.03 points per possession in isolation during the playoffs, according to NBA Stats. Only Ja Morant, De'Andre Hunter, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, and Jimmy Butler ranked ahead of Siakam, respectively, in terms of isolation scoring.

The Raptors as a team leaned heavily on their isolation offense this past year, playing 10.3% of their offensive possessions in isolation, the second-highest mark in the league behind only the Brooklyn Nets.

Siakam averaged 0.90 points per isolation attempt in the season, an average mark for the league, albeit below-average for a player of his usage. 

Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Kevin Durant all ranked lower than Siakam in isolation scoring in the playoffs, though their lackluster scoring stats in isolation had more to do with defenses gearing up to stop them than a lack of offensive firepower.

Further Reading

Raptors considered favorites to land Rudy Gobert, Vegas says

Skipped combine raises draft questions about Michigan's Caleb Houstan, but upside is enough to interest Raptors

Julian Champagnie had positive feedback from the Raptors as he tries to follow in his brother's footsteps