Does the Raptors’ reinvention change their playoff ceiling?
By Ben Ladner
When as many teams adjust the very structure of their rosters as we saw in the offseason of 2017, it has a way of creating fresh intrigue even around timeworn matchups. We saw this on opening night, when audiences tuned in at near-record levels to watch the revamped Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets take on the incumbent guardians of their respective conferences. The last two playoff meetings between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors were so one-sided as to rob the matchup of most of its appeal. But given the degree to which the teams have changed — Cleveland swapped Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, among other moves, while Toronto overhauled a stale offense — and the fact that Thursday will be their first meeting of the season, some of the allure has been restored.
The ethos of Cleveland’s attack remains largely the same: surround LeBron James with world-class shooting without completely sacrificing its defense. The addition of Thomas adds another layer to the system. Toronto’s self-reinvention has been largely rooted in a shift in philosophy rather than personnel. A more modernized offense and active defense has the Raptors perched in the top five in both categories.
Though the structure of the team is different, the challenge for Toronto remains the same. These three questions are among the factors that could determine how the Raptors face that challenge.
How will Toronto defend LeBron James?
Ideological changes like the ones the Raptors have made are no use when it comes to stopping James; recent playoff history between these two teams proves nothing if not that. No player, team or strategy can truly stop James, but the teams with big, athletic wings at least have a prayer of slowing him down. For that reason, rookie OG Anunoby serves a crucial function in Toronto’s fifth-ranked defense and fundamentally changes the team’s defensive complexion.
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The Raptors have more trust in his defense than most teams do in their rookies — earlier this season, he capably drew the assignment of defending James Harden. But his growing role as a lockdown wing defender is also driven in part by necessity, as Toronto has few wings capable of playing elite defense.
It takes but a few possessions of watching Anunoby to see the tantalizing defensive potential: he’s long and nimble, yet sturdy against stronger forwards. A more seasoned player with equal physical tools would be the prototypical LeBron foil. Anunoby isn’t there yet, but he’s already the best option Toronto has. His primary objective is to steer James into the help and away from the paint, where he lays siege to defenseless rims. Conceding mid-range jumpers or contested layups out of isolations is a win for Toronto.
Cleveland will try to force the Raptors to switch, leaving a straggling big man or helpless guard on James. Against Harden, Anunoby quickly slithered over screens before Houston could create a distinct advantage. If he and the screener’s man can contain pick-and-rolls without help from the other three defenders, they limit James’ options as a passer.
Defending James is by definition an oxymoron. Take away one of his strengths, and he’ll beat you with another. But regular season games against potential playoff opponents represent opportunities to experiment with lineups, matchups and schemes. For Toronto, Thursday will be the first step in a high-stakes trial-and-error process.
How will Cleveland balance its stars?
The suspense of how Isaiah Thomas would look next to James, Kevin Love and the rest of the Cavs was prolonged nearly half the season. Three games in, it’s unclear how those pieces might mesh with one another, but the result will undoubtedly be a better version of the Cavaliers than the one that played the first 37.
Thomas may not push Cleveland meaningfully closer to the Golden State Warriors than they were with Irving, but he undoubtedly simplifies its path to the NBA Finals and eases some of the burden from James’ shoulders. In Thomas, the Cavs have one of the few guards in the league who rivals Irving’s off-the-dribble prowess and finishing around the basket. Toronto’s All-Star backcourt will test Thomas’ health and his effectiveness with his new team. If the Cavs ratchet up their intensity the way they often do in high-profile games, we could, in part, gain a sense of how Cleveland’s rotation might run at peak capacity.
Some of Cleveland’s best lineups from the last two seasons haven’t featured a true point guard, but rather units of specialists with James at the controls. The Cavs might be more effective in those looks, but overtaxing James more than he already is could have costly repercussions. This year, Tyronn Lue has had few alternatives apart from doling out token starting minutes to Jose Calderon and running out second units with Dwyane Wade at the point. Thomas should help reduce the minutes of both James and Cleveland’s limited backups as well as keep Cleveland above water in the time James sits.
The degree to which Lue decides to stagger Thomas, James and Love will be fascinating, as will the question of whether the Cavaliers can survive without James, even with Thomas in the fold.
How much does Cleveland respect DeMar DeRozan?
The book on DeRozan in the playoffs is well-known. Teams duck under screens, close out under control and trap on occasion, and either force the ball out of DeRozan’s hands or bait him into low-percentage shots. To his credit, DeRozan has improved in ways that could render those strategies less effective. He’s stepped behind the arc with an unforeseen readiness and become a more deft and willing facilitator. Empowered teammates are usually capable ones, and as DeRozan has improved his playmaking, both he and his supporting cast have become more efficient.
The same rationale applies to the expansion of his jump shot. His 37 percent 3-point shooting and 3.1 attempts are easily career highs, and when his man must close out harder and tighter on him, the threat of DeRozan speeding toward the rim becomes a more accessible one; with defenses playing him a bit more snugly off the ball, it creates room for Lowry and others to attack.
The Raptors are generating more 3s and assists than last season while jacking fewer mid-rangers and posting the league’s fourth-best offense. Cleveland will test the legitimacy of these changes. Transformed as it may be, Toronto’s offensive revolution is still experimental and unproven, and any notion that these Raptors could challenge the Eastern Conference power structure remains theoretical and, frankly, improbable.
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The shadow of the last two playoff showings still looms over the franchise and makes glaringly apparent the level of separation between them and LeBron James. But Thursday night will provide a measuring stick for teams and spectators alike to gauge how much of the gap Toronto has really closed.