Can Pascal Siakam find consistency with his jumper?

Amit Mann and C.J. Miles discuss the keys to Pascal Siakam finding a consistent rhythm in his midrange jumper. Listen to the full episode on the roles and responsibilities of the players who will likely be part of the play-in/playoff rotation and how they'll be challenged to fulfill their tasks on the 'Raptors Over Everything' podcast feed.

Video Transcript

AMIT MANN: The jump shot is the key. So if you're Pascal, what are you doing to ensure that? And whatever way you can, is it that you're leveled up and ready to go with whatever is coming at you?

CJ MILES: It's mental. It's just mental. Yeah, it's film. And it's mental because we know he works. I'm not worried about the work side. I know he's getting his shots up. I know he's going to be in shape. I know he's going to be ready. Basically, it's just mental because you've done everything that you're going to do. Everything that you're going to do in the next whatever amount of games is left, you've already done it a million times. Think about that.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: So physically, your body knows what to do. You just have to be mentally sharp and intentional. Like, I keep saying that word. But that's where this is at, at this point. It's intentional. I know what we want. I know what I need to do.

That's what this is about. Like, there's nothing new coming physically. Like, they're going to try some tricks defensively. They're going to try some different double teams, some different spaces. They're going to try to force you maybe a different way. Just watch that. And be sharp.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: They can't make you take a shot that you can't make. You can make every shot. We know that. Every type of shot that's in your bag, you know how to get to it. You know how to make it. You just have to show them that whatever they think is a weakness, that you was ready for it. So now, it's a strength. Just be ready for it. That's all it is. Like, they think it's a weakness because people can't stop you from going right. They think you're going left is a weakness because you don't have to.

That's why you work. That's why you prepare for everything. They think you can't handle a double team. Like, it's just because you haven't double-teamed yet. I know I'm prepared. I knew it was coming. Like, I'm just waiting on you to do it. So that's where it got to go. Like, it's just being prepared, which he will be. Like anybody that said they want to be top five, the only way you get there is being prepared. It's a bunch of guys with a skill level.

AMIT MANN: Sure.

CJ MILES: They're just not prepared to take on the other things.

AMIT MANN: The mental burden.

CJ MILES: Yeah, they're not mentally strong enough for it. There's a lot of guys that can do a lot of things on the basketball court, athletically, all that. The only thing that's separating them is a mental capacity.

AMIT MANN: This may be that actually, if we're talking who's got the biggest post-season ahead of them, not to get into a whole like, this is who has the most pressure. But Pascal could silence a lot of critics in this playoff here.

CJ MILES: It changes everything. It changes everything because you got to think-- because now, he shows himself as a winner in a different light. Because remember, we're talking about rows and being prepared. Like Freddy, and Pascal were great players before, right?

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: What gets them to their status, what changes everybody's outlook on them and gets them paid is winning. This is why I say winning cures all. They could be doing all those great things and not winning. And then they don't get the rewards of that. Winning is what gets them to where they are. Winning is what makes you an All NBA. The MVP is not the dude that scores the most points. It's the dude that's most valuable on a winning team.

AMIT MANN: Have you seen Pascal struggle a little bit? Maybe this is my only observation. Have you seen him struggle a little bit to get his mid-range off against players that are a little closer to his height? I know it's harder. Obviously, it is because the person is taller.

But is that a mental thing? Because he can still get the shot off with his wingspan, jumping ability, athleticism. The shot can still get off, right? That's half the battle. He has that. But what would be the difference between executing it, finishing it, versus not, when perhaps a player is 6'8 versus 6'4, 6'5?

CJ MILES: It's just him being comfortable with that. We talk about like how Kobe was and how a lot of great guys was. And we felt like they missed shots. It wasn't really anything that I did. I just was making sure I was there. And the defender's going to be there. And length is going to bother anybody. It's going to change you a little bit.

And so now, it's like, why not-- so now, you know they're going to put length on you. So we just going to practice all the shots with length. We won't even think about the 6'4 guy. So I'm going to shoot it the same way whether you're 6'4 or 6'16. That's what I'm trying to get to. That's one of the things that's impressive about Gary Trent Junior.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: It doesn't matter who's in front of him, who's around. The shot is the same shot.

AMIT MANN: Yeah, when he hit that step-back over Brook Lopez-- in the game, the Raptors actually lost. But I'm just like, how did he do that?

CJ MILES: That's why he makes shots because he shoots the ball the same way. And the arc on the shot and the way he shoots it allows him-- he doesn't have to change it against Brook Lopez because I was going to shoot with this arc anyway. So you just got to-- that's the thing that's got to be a reminder when you go into your work, is that I need to be practicing things that are unguardable no matter who's guarding me, at this point for Pascal especially because I'm going to get a bunch of different looks.

So while I practice, I'm thinking, OK, this time, the guy is 6'4. Next time, he's 6'9. Like, no, we're going to practice like the dude is 7 foot, every time. So now, it doesn't matter. I'm prepared for every situation they're throwing you.