"Stat Just Happened" is our series where we pair an important stat with how it actually unfolded on the floor. Our aim? To answer key questions, uncover hidden truths and peel back the curtain on why some numbers matter more than others.
Today, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam takes the spotlight.
12.6
According to NBA CourtOptix, that's how many possession per game Raptors All-Star Pascal Siakam gets double-teamed, putting him right between LeBron James and Damian Lillard.
All of that attention is a byproduct of it all coming together for Siakam. The glimpses of him taking the next step from NBA All-Star to bonafide superstar seemed to be coming true.
Siakam was putting up career-year-type numbers in his first nine games averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists, but a right adductor strain put a stretching halt to Siakam's incredible start and the Raptors haven't been the same since.
Let's face it, when any team loses its best player, there's going to be a drop off. Take Stephen Curry off the Warriors, or Giannis Antetokounmpo off the Bucks and the team will go from looking like a championship contender to looking closer to a lottery team.
MORE: Doctor explains key factors for Siakam recovering from adductor strain
Turn on a Raptors contest and you can see the gaping hole the Raptors' go-to player has left. The numbers more than back up what the eyes are seeing. Through the first nine games of the season, with a healthy Siakam, Toronto had an offensive rating of 115.6. In the games since, Toronto has posted an offensive rating of 109.8. That's the difference between an offense that ranks top five in the NBA and 22nd in the league.
Star players grab attention. They hog the spotlight both on and off the floor. With Siakam no longer shining in the limelight for the Raptors, the light is now firmly illuminating the shadows no team ever wants you to see.
Toronto has struggled to get the open jumpers they were getting with Siakam on the floor and they can't get into any rhythm in the halfcourt. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Raptors are averaging just 89.7 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt, which ranks 29th in the league only ahead of the Rockets.
It can't be understated how much it meant to the Raptors offense when Siakam was making simple plays like this:
Drawing this can of attention is what Toronto's offense trending towards a top five finish in offensive rating.
Siakam's absence has certainly made Toronto's heart grow fonder. The good news for the Raptors? This gives the likes of OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes the space to try and recreate the gravity that Siakam brings to the table.
If one of those two is able to replicate even a fraction of what Siakam can do with his playmaking, Toronto will be better for it not only throughout the season but when it matters most in the playoffs.
