Title: Pascal Siakam’s growth as a shooter could make the Raptors tougher to solve
Date: March 1, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Pascal Siakam’s growth as a 3-point shooter and how it could make the Raptors more difficult to solve in the playoffs.
The initial takeaway was what a tremendous pass Kawhi Leonard had just thrown. Ostensibly trapped in the corner, Leonard fired a bullet across the width of the court to Pascal Siakam, who promptly drained a three. It effectively ended the brief counter-punch the Boston Celtics offered in a one-sided affair on Tuesday.
That Leonard made that read, displayed that patience and fired that pass is important. In fact, Leonard’s progression as a playmaker and his initiation into the larger Raptors offence has been one of the primary stories of the season and will remain so down the stretch. If Leonard is manipulating a defence like this, the Raptors theoretical upside gets much easier to dream on.
Something else is going on in this play, too: Siakam is wide open.
