Since returning to Toronto, Jakob Poeltl has been an impactful addition to the Raptors. In only six games, Poeltl has begun to address some of the problems that have plagued the team this season, including a lack of efficient scoring and rim protection.
The Austrian big man has boosted their defensive rating while also being a force on the offensive end, posting a terrific 75.5 eFG%. Poeltl gives the Raptors some much-needed versatility on both sides of the ball, which has the added benefit of freeing up his teammates to do the things at which they’re most effective.
The Poeltl move has turned him into a supercharger that is making the entire Toronto engine run smoother. The rest of the team has been playing much better basketball in the last few days. Here are three Raptors players who have most benefitted from Poeltl’s presence in the lineup.
3 Toronto Raptors who have benefitted from Jakob Poeltl.
Pascal Siakam
The Raptors are a better team with Siakam on the court, plain and simple. They score more points and shoot the ball more efficiently from every spot on the floor. He’s the oil that keeps their offensive motor running.
However, they are also overly reliant on his production. Without Pascal on the court, the Raptors would rank last in the NBA in eFG% by a substantial margin. The on-off numbers are staggering.
As such, Nick Nurse has been forced to keep him on the court for long stretches, and his numbers have dipped as a result. Since seeing a minutes increase in mid-December, Siakam has suffered concurrent drops in both scoring average and shooting efficiency. Simply put, he looks gassed.
The Raptors can’t rely on Pascal to carry the entire offense, especially when it’s obviously hurting his production. Fortunately, the acquisition of Poeltl has eased some of the offensive burdens on the All-Star forward. Poeltl’s offensive arsenal doesn’t feature the same array of spin moves, pirouettes, and do-si-do’s that Pascal has so masterfully refined over the years.
On the contrary, he is a decidedly un-flashy player, but nonetheless incredibly effective at what he does. A 77% shooter at the rim, Poeltl gives the Raptors a source of efficient offense on the interior, something they have lacked all season. He’s also a skilled offensive rebounder, pulling down the fourth-most per game in the NBA.
Jakob Poeltl has taken some of Pascal Siakam’s offensive burden.
Scoring efficiency is already a plus on a team that has long thirsted for it, but Poeltl also impacts the game in other ways. His deft passing and quick decision-making have allowed the Raptors to diversify their offensive attack. Poeltl has shown great potential as a release valve in short-roll situations like this one, where the Magic choose to blitz Pascal outside the three-point arc.
Poeltl, aware of the Raptors’ man advantage, makes himself available for the pass. He attacks immediately, seeing the lane and taking it to the rack for two points.
He’s equally capable as a passer. Nick Nurse has even started to run some actions that capitalize on Poeltl’s pinpoint playmaking, including a series of backdoor plays that get Siakam open looks at the basket.
Too often this season, the Raptors have relied on the predictable trope of Siakam iso-ball. As skilled a player as he is, it’s simply not a sustainable strategy. As the Raptors try to make a playoff push, Poeltl’s mix of scoring and playmaking should add new dimensions to the Raptors’ offensive attack while helping to shoulder some of Siakam’s offensive burden.