Darko Rajakovic is creating his own Raptors. After years in which Nick Nurse set the tone from the bench, it is now the Serbian coach who leads the way from the bench and who is marking a series of changes that are already beginning to have a real reflection on the hardwood.
A couple of weeks ago, and seeing that Pascal Siakam was not performing as many expected, Rajakovic was questioned about his pupil’s situation. The coach not only did not avoid the question, but also made it clear that it was a matter of time for the Cameroonian player to get used to the new system. Well, he already did it.
Since the head coach of the Canadians said that, Siakam has averaged 23 points per night, a number he has reached by introducing an interesting variation in his game, and that is that he is practically doubling the possessions he plays from the post.
According to Michael Grange of SportsNet, Siakam is signing 17% of his possessions from the post, a number that draws attention compared to 10.3% last season. Additionally, and according to data collected from NBA.com, he is 60.9% shooting from the post. For Rajakovic it is not a surprise, but he clarifies that the plan is not to force him to play in that position.
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«It is a natural progression for our team. We are not forcing any post situations nor are we calling plays to play from the post. But if there is a mismatch in the transition or if he recognizes that he may have an advantage there, then we go with it », analyzes the coach of the Canadian organization.
(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
2023-11-28 08:00:00
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