Are Raptors Creating A New Trend?

[Kagemusha]

Getting down in to a defensive stance is defense 101, you can't move backwards or side to side effectively otherwise, you can't keep the opponent in front of you - you can't play defense

You know there's a whole lot more to just getting down to defensive stance.
If it's that simple, why isn't every team successful on defense?

[SkywalkerAC]

Yes.

[KHD]

"mo shats" is not a new idea

(but it is a good idea)

[Mapko]

The question is if it's a sustainable strategy.... because there is an potential flaw on largely relying on turnovers and OREBs as a way for your team to win in the margins: the success of that approach can be largely out of your control. If the opposition coach decides to make taking care of the ball, boxing out, gang rebounding and getting back in transition a top priority, then those are all coachable problems that can be corrected.

You can already see this approach catching teams off guard in the regular season, but if you have to play the same team back-to-back, they'll remember how they got punched in the mouth and play harder & smarter the next time. Playoffs could really expose that strategy, so you still need super-talented guys who can get buckets (i.e. eFG%) in the half-court.

1. Is it sustainable? Why not? A whole lot of new guys learning new system. What happens in 30-40 games when they get the hang of it?
2. Opposition coaches will adjust. How? Maybe?
I'm sure they "encourage" players not to turn the ball over anyways.
You may have to change strategy all together. You dump the ball in the middle to say Sabonis -too many busy hands all over. What else? I guess more contested 3 pointers.
Box out & gang rebound. OK -but no fast breaks for you either.
Get back in transition. -Guess who wins a fast break race between say Gobert & Achiuva? Randle & Barnes? Embiid & Birch? See where this is going? Especially when you consider To can roll out 10-12 guys. There is no chance Gobert or Randle or Embiid can sustain that pace for 35 mins. Sure those guys will have an edge on offense for a while, but there is a price to be paid.
We have a small number of solid offensive players that happened to be good on D too (Siakam when back, OG, FVV, Barnes, Trent). Rest -cause chaos on D with busy hands, steals, OR, fast break. When you get tired -take a break.
Somebody earlier mention "Mr fun guy" - def a good pattern to follow on D

[Mapko]

That's exactly what I'm talking about. The entire Raptors approach seems focused on generating additional shots as a way to get an advantage. My goodness once our non shooters learn to shoot we will lay waste to the NBA. Okay I might be getting carried away....but I'm excited.

Scary, isn't it

[Mapko]

I don't know that it's a new philosophy. It might be the first time a team has been able to accomplish it to this degree though.

All bunch of 6'9" guys with super long arms & high energy/motor have anything to do with it?

[big boi]

Kudos to Nurse for implementing this defensive method. I think he stole a trick or two from Kawhi as well. That fun guy not only brought us a chip, he also influenced us in many ways.
The league changes in officiating also helps us on defense so far.

Getting down in to a defensive stance is defense 101, you can't move backwards or side to side effectively otherwise, you can't keep the opponent in front of you - you can't play defense

[The Claw Reborn]

                                          
Rk                      Player Pos  Tm TS%V
1                   Seth Curry  SG PHI .758
2                  Rudy Gobert   C UTA .754
3               Richaun Holmes   C SAC .735
4                 JaVale McGee   C PHO .721
5                Jarrett Allen   C CLE .716
6                 Kemba Walker  PG NYK .683
7            LaMarcus Aldridge   C BRK .682
8                 Nikola Jokic   C DEN .681
9              Carmelo Anthony  PF LAL .679
10                 Eric Gordon  SG HOU .669
11            Montrezl Harrell   C WAS .669
12            Domantas Sabonis   C IND .664
13                Kevin Durant  PF BRK .663
14                John Collins  PF ATL .661
15          Karl-Anthony Towns   C MIN .656
16                 Mike Conley  PG UTA .651
17               Mikal Bridges  SF PHO .649
18             Anfernee Simons  SG POR .649
19               Norman Powell  SF POR .644
20               Deandre Ayton   C PHO .642
21             Harrison Barnes  PF SAC .639
22               Georges Niang  PF PHI .639
23                Myles Turner   C IND .638
24               Nassir Little  SF POR .634
25                Jakob Poeltl   C SAS .632
26                  RJ Barrett  SF NYK .631
27                    Mo Bamba   C ORL .627
28                 Buddy Hield  SG SAC .627
29                Jimmy Butler  SF MIA .622
30             Pat Connaughton  SG MIL .622
31       Giannis Antetokounmpo  PF MIL .621
32                  Damion Lee  SG GSW .620
33             P.J. Washington  PF CHO .617
34    Kentavious Caldwell-Pope  SG WAS .616
35                 Cody Martin  SF CHO .616
36                   Ja Morant  PG MEM .616
37          Wendell Carter Jr.   C ORL .614
38                 Zach LaVine  SG CHI .614
39                Desmond Bane  SF MEM .611
40              Gordon Hayward  SF CHO .611
41                Luke Kennard  SG LAC .611
42                Franz Wagner  SF ORL .611
43                 Alex Caruso  PG CHI .609
44               Dwight Powell   C DAL .609
45           Bogdan Bogdanovic  SG ATL .606
46                 Jeremy Lamb  SF IND .606
47               Tobias Harris  PF PHI .605
48                  Trey Lyles  PF DET .604
49               Stephen Curry  PG GSW .602
50                 Paul George  SF LAC .602
51                Steven Adams   C MEM .601
52                Jaylen Brown  SF BOS .598
53                Cole Anthony  PG ORL .596
54                 Patty Mills  PG BRK .594
55           Jonas Valanciunas   C NOP .593
56              Draymond Green  PF GSW .591
57                Aaron Gordon  PF DEN .590
58                 Bam Adebayo   C MIA .589
59               Miles Bridges  PF CHO .589
60                Jusuf Nurkic   C POR .589
61              Furkan Korkmaz  SG PHI .588
62                 Cam Reddish  SF ATL .588
63            Bojan Bogdanovic  PF UTA .586
64                  Chris Paul  PG PHO .586
65              Scottie Barnes  PF TOR .585
66                 Ivica Zubac   C LAC .582
67               DeMar DeRozan  SF CHI .580
68                 Tyler Herro  SG MIA .578
69                Tyrese Maxey  PG PHI .577
70                 Joel Embiid   C PHI .576
71                James Harden  PG BRK .569
72                  Alec Burks  SG NYK .568
73               Terrence Ross  SG ORL .568
74               Grayson Allen  SG MIL .564
75                LeBron James  SF LAL .564
76                    Naz Reid   C MIN .564
77              Christian Wood   C HOU .562
78               Evan Fournier  SG NYK .561
79                Derrick Rose  PG NYK .561
80                Clint Capela   C ATL .559
81                Kelly Olynyk   C DET .559
82     Shai Gilgeous-Alexander  PG OKC .558
83              Isaiah Stewart   C DET .558
84                 George Hill  SG MIL .557
85                 CJ McCollum  SG POR .557
86                  Al Horford   C BOS .555
87                  Lonzo Ball  PG CHI .554
88               Kent Bazemore  SF LAL .551
89           Spencer Dinwiddie  PG WAS .551
90            Tim Hardaway Jr.  SG DAL .551
91                  Kyle Lowry  PG MIA .551
92                 Evan Mobley  PF CLE .551
93                Monte Morris  PG DEN .551
94             Malcolm Brogdon  PG IND .550
95               Jalen Brunson  PG DAL .550
96               Anthony Davis   C LAL .549
97                 Will Barton  SG DEN .547
98                Chris Duarte  SG IND .547
99              Andrew Wiggins  SF GSW .547
100                LaMelo Ball  PG CHO .543
101             Justin Holiday  SF IND .543
102             Darius Garland  PG CLE .542
103              Julius Randle  PF NYK .542
104             Alperen Sengun   C HOU .541
105              Collin Sexton  SG CLE .540
106                 Jeff Green   C DEN .538
107             Brandon Ingram  SF NOP .536
108           Donovan Mitchell  SG UTA .536
109              Lonnie Walker  SG SAS .534
110            Kelly Oubre Jr.  SF CHO .533
111              Derrick White  SG SAS .532
112                 Trae Young  PG ATL .529
113            Duncan Robinson  SG MIA .528
114            Khris Middleton  SF MIL .527
115           DeAnthony Melton  SG MEM .526
116            Markieff Morris  PF MIA .526
117               Daniel Theis   C HOU .525
118                 OG Anunoby  SF TOR .519
119               JaeSean Tate  SF HOU .518
120              Fred VanVleet  PG TOR .517
121            Dennis Schroder  SG BOS .516
122                 Kyle Kuzma  PF WAS .513
123             Devonte Graham  PG NOP .512
124          Tyrese Haliburton  SG SAC .510
125                  Raul Neto  PG WAS .509
126             Reggie Bullock  SF DAL .508
127              Devin Vassell  SF SAS .508
128                Luka Doncic  PG DAL .507
129               Josh Jackson  SF DET .507
130             Gary Trent Jr.  SG TOR .505
131                 Joe Harris  SF BRK .502
132               Jerami Grant  PF DET .501
133                Jae Crowder  PF PHO .499
134            Dejounte Murray  PG SAS .499
135           Kevin Porter Jr.  PG HOU .499
136            Anthony Edwards  SG MIN .497
137              Nicolas Batum  PF LAC .496
138               Devin Booker  SG PHO .495
139                Josh Giddey  SG OKC .495
140                Cory Joseph  PG DET .495
141                 Malik Monk  SG LAL .495
142              Mason Plumlee   C CHO .495
143             T.J. McConnell  PG IND .493
144                Ricky Rubio  PG CLE .489
145          Russell Westbrook  PG LAL .485
146                Jalen Green  SG HOU .484
147             Keldon Johnson  SF SAS .484
148            Lauri Markkanen  PF CLE .483
149                 Kevin Love  PF CLE .481
150               Jayson Tatum  SF BOS .479
151          Jaren Jackson Jr.  PF MEM .478
152               Jordan Nwora  SF MIL .475
153              Luguentz Dort  SF OKC .474
154               Jordan Poole  SG GSW .474
155                 Saddiq Bey  SF DET .471
156           Kenrich Williams  SF OKC .470
157               Bradley Beal  SG WAS .468
158              Malik Beasley  SG MIN .468
159             DeAndre Hunter  SF ATL .465
160             Nikola Vucevic   C CHI .465
161               R.J. Hampton  SG ORL .463
162             Damian Lillard  PG POR .461
163              Darius Bazley  PF OKC .458
164               Terance Mann  SF LAC .455
165            DAngelo Russell  PG MIN .455
166              Kyle Anderson  PF MEM .452
167            Davion Mitchell  PG SAC .441
168                Jalen Suggs  PG ORL .439
169               Eric Bledsoe  PG LAC .436
170   Nickeil Alexander-Walker  SG NOP .433
171            Cameron Johnson  PF PHO .433
172            Jordan Clarkson  SG UTA .431
173        Dorian Finney-Smith  PF DAL .425
174                DeAaron Fox  PG SAC .425
175               Marcus Smart  PG BOS .425
176         Michael Porter Jr.  SF DEN .414
177              Frank Jackson  PG DET .411
178             Reggie Jackson  SG LAC .409
179          Immanuel Quickley  PG NYK .406
180              Chris Boucher  PF TOR .405
181                  Ish Smith  PG CHO .401
182         Kristaps Porzingis  PF DAL .397
183           Precious Achiuwa   C TOR .388
184              Killian Hayes  PG DET .380
185              Kevin Huerter  SG ATL .338

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/3/2021.

Scottie is no. 65

[DanH]

Just realized once our FG% increases our OREB will naturally drop lol

Well, sure, but if our OREB% stays consistent that's still a huge win.

[LJ2]

Just realized once our FG% increases our OREB will naturally drop lol

Yes, and that's a really good thing. OREB is just one way to create additional shot attempts so not worried it will take away from their strategy (if that is their strategy)

[KeonClark]

Just realized once our FG% increases our OREB will naturally drop lol

Yeah, that's what people fail to realize is there is a strong correlation between the teams at the top of O reb and at the bottom of fg%

[MixxAOR]

Just realized once our FG% increases our OREB will naturally drop lol

[Primer]

Speaking of what's sustainable or not. Is elite half-court offense historically an indicator of winning in playoffs?

I think with the new defensive rules half-court offense isn't as potent. So if refs call the playoff games like they are now you won't need elite half-court offense.

[MixxAOR]

Speaking of what's sustainable or not. Is elite half-court offense historically an indicator of winning in playoffs?

[LJ2]

I don't know that it's a new philosophy. It might be the first time a team has been able to accomplish it to this degree though.

Maybe not new, but I don't think it's received the attention or discussion it deserves on the forums. You can draw a lot of ideas from the teams game strategy, to how/why minutes are delegated to certain players to potential draft or free agent targets. It's only been 8 games so a small sample but the numbers, as basic as the ones I've looked at are, seem to support it. It's something I'll be keeping an eye on.