Toronto Raptors: 3 reasons they can repeat as NBA champions

The Toronto Raptors are exceptionally deep.

The Raps certainly have All-star calibre players in Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam, but they also have an incredibly deep roster.  The team boasts seven players that have averaged over 10 points per game this season and 10 players who average at least seven points per game.

Most teams tighten up the rotation in the playoffs, and the Raptors will, to some extent. But when you go 10 deep like that and can play your best seven or eight any given night, it becomes a nightmare for opponents.

All of the players fit in today’s NBA, i.e., they can shoot threes and play defence.  This is where they are a problem for other teams.

The Raptors swarm on defence and play an offence in which everyone can make threes.  Everyone on the team is a threat from deep, so they spread you out; there is almost no sense of playing isolation or doubling anyone.

Of the 10 regular rotation players mentioned above, nine of them shoot over 35% from long distance, which leads them to a sixth overall ranking in 3-point percentage in the NBA.  They shoot them at a high volume as well, ranking seventh in 3-point attempts.

They also keep opponents from making threes, holding them to an NBA worst 33.5%.  This is a deadly combination in today’s league and is one of the significant reasons the Raps are a tough matchup for anyone.