Toronto Raptors Leaning On Their Defence

Despite their offensive struggles, the Toronto Raptors are one win away from reaching their first-ever Eastern Conference Finals. The key to their success? Defence.

It’s no secret the Toronto Raptors’ offence has been wildly inconsistent throughout the postseason. Prior to combining for 59 points in Game 5, their two stars, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, have had moments of success, but for the most part they’ve struggled to score. Their combined shooting percentage hovers under 35 percent for the postseason, which should give you an idea of how poorly they’ve shot the ball.

For Raptors’ fans, it’s been excruciating to watch. Throughout this series against the Miami Heat, both offences have exchanged possessions that feature minimal movement, iso heavy basketball, and a plethora of dead sets that result in mid-range jumpers.

So how are the Raptors one game away from reaching their first-ever Eastern Conference Finals?

The answer is defence.

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Dwane Casey and Masai Ujiri made it a point of emphasis to improve the defence during this past offseason when they brought in DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph, Bismack Biyombo and Norman Powell. With this team one game away from reaching a level never before seen in Toronto basketball history, I’d say their decision is paying dividends.

The Raptors have given the Heat fits throughout this series, as they’ve held them to 44 percent shooting, 30 percent shooting from behind the arc, and forced Miami into 71 turnovers, which is the second most of any team in the second round of the playoffs (Oklahoma City is first with 84).

It’s been an all-around team effort, but DeMarre Carroll, Cory Jospeh and Patrick Patterson deserve a lot of credit.

Carroll has kept Joe Johnson in check all series, forcing him to shoot 29-of-78 from the field and 1-of-17 from three. Add in Cory Joseph’s tough defence on Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade, plus Patrick Patterson’s versatility up front to play the four or five, and it’s no surprise the Raptors are giving the Hassan Whiteside-less Heat trouble.

May 11, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) goes to the basket but is denied by Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Parlay the defensive success of Carroll, Joseph and Patterson with the tenacious defence of Lowry, and the above-average defence from DeRozan on Luol Deng, and the offensive deficiencies don’t look as bad since the Raptors are creating offence from their defence.

The biggest difference-maker not named DeMarre Carroll, however, has to be Bismack Biyombo. Big Biz has been a force defending the rim and, like he did earlier this season, has filled in well for the injured Jonas Valanciunas.

Biyombo’s length and lateral movement has not only helped the Raptors defend the Heat’s small ball lineup with a big man, it has also forced Miami into settling for more mid-range jump shots and iso situations, which is much easier for the Raptors to defend.

Dwyane Wade has played well this series, but did we expect anything less? The key for the Raptors is to keep every player not named Wade in check. If Wade can get some help from his supporting cast, anything really, this series could be very different. But until that happens, the style of play favours the Raptors.

Looking back, you have to tip your cap to Casey and Ujiri. Although the names they brought in this past offseason weren’t flashy, or offensively gifted, they were all players that fit the style of basketball they envisioned themselves playing.

Next: Raptors/Heat Series Become a War of Attrition

Thanks to those moves, the Raptors have been able to withstand a horrific shooting performance from their backcourt, and look poised to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

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