2018 NBA Playoffs: 8 X-Factors to keep an eye on in the first-round

8 of 9

CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 15: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after a play during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on November 15, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 121-117. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors

Hubie Brown Voice: Now We know DeMar DeRozan has added 3-pointers to his game and helped lead a revamped Raptors team who had been “blah” into a now modern and in many ways dominant style of play. He’ll be an All-NBA talent this year.

And we know Kyle Lowry has been instrumental in their success, as the Raptors have lived and died with his play for years now; and as good as the teams bench has been this season, they will continue to lean on him when rotations tighten up a bit and Lowry will need to perform against tougher defenders.

And we know that Serge Ibaka has been somewhat disappointing for them, while yet still helpful nonetheless. But here’s what we want to find out about the other guys!

They’re also going to need something highly unexpected. Pascal Siakam is 5th on the team in minutes. He has been an indispensable part of their bench unit. Remember Daryl Morey’s point about public stats not showing us the full picture? Siakam doesn’t leap off the page in terms of traditional stats, and he doesn’t scoop up lots of advanced stats like his running mate, Jakob Poeltl (3rd on the team in VORP, 3rd in DBPM, 4th in WS/48, 4th in WS).

But it feels like Poeltl, as great as he’s been, offers a somewhat more replaceable skillset. Like rookie forward, O.G. Anunoby was drafted to do, and has done to a degree, Siakam offers the best mix of rim protection with serviceable perimeter defense. He needs to be what he has shown he is capable of being in spurts this season, their “No-Stats All-Star.”

A cool study I found surfing the web for Siakam stuff showed a very cool stat. It gave players a combo-rating of their interior plus perimeter defense. The reason this was interesting is because the only players above Siakam on this list were, in order, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, and Kristaps Porzingis. Below Siakam were guys like DeMarcus Cousins, Rob Covington, and Andre Roberson; all well known and elite defenders.

If Toronto wants to make noise, they’re going to need some “off-the-page”performances like this one. We might not see the insane blocks and rebounds we remember Bismack Biyombo getting when he filled in for the injured Jonas Valančiūnas and earned himself $72 million from Orlando a couple years ago. You’re going to have to watch very closely to see if Siakam can put his finger prints on a series. It’ll be easier to see if Ibaka steps up like he did when Lowry and DeRozan struggled a year ago.

Unlike his defensive minded Cameroonian countrymen, Joel Embiid or Luc Mbah a Moute, Siakam doesn’t dominate games or hit many 3’s. So you may have to squint to see how he tips a big home-game in The Raptors’ favor. But he’s capable. Don’t miss it if it happens just because its DeRozan who gets the and-1 on the other end after a key switch or subtle defensive play.