Toronto's Round 2 Defence - Underrated or Lucky?

[tDotted]

Maybe it was lucky..

[Apollo]

No. I think the defense is being given sufficient credit. The broadcasters speak about it non-stop during broadcasts, as the key reason why the Raptors are having success in the playoffs, despite their horrendous offense.

I agree. Its painfully obvious for me anyway that it's the only reason they're still standing. It goes to show you the key difference between the playoffs and regular season and what the key ingredient above all else is to keep moving forward in the post season.

A lot of credit to Casey for coaching these guys to a really good playoffs showing this year; on defense anyway. They may make history tonight.

[CNinja26]

I'll say it's underrated because the media is trashing the Raptors' game this playoffs. People say they're playing terribly, end of story. But the truth is, they're only playing half bad. Offensively, they haven't been good. Defensively, they have been great. You don't hear as much about the defense as you do the offense, and that's not doing this team justice in this post-season. Defense wins games, and that's why the Raptors are a win away from an ECF despite shooting struggles because of theirs. That should be the narrative.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Well..if it's not getting it's just due, doesn't that make it underrated, basically by definition?

No. I think the defense is being given sufficient credit. The broadcasters speak about it non-stop during broadcasts, as the key reason why the Raptors are having success in the playoffs, despite their horrendous offense.

In the general media, the coverage of the unexpectedly bad offense is just overshadowing the coverage of the team's solid defensive play. Offense is sexier in general, and the Raptors' drop-off from the regular season is significant and alarming. The Raptors have two headlines, but "Raptors' 2 all-stars pull disappearing act and take the offense with them" is a much more click-worthy headline than "Raptors defense fuels playoff success".

The Raptors' defensive prowess may not be getting the amount of press it deserves, but the type of coverage it is getting is all positive and accurate. It might be semantics, but I think the question of being underrated would only come into play if people weren't noticing how good it's been or not giving the defense credit.

[bigfatbob]

charlottes defense was actually really good against the heat, but you're forgetting 2 things. One is that charlotte doesn't really have a rim protector. They gave up bismack biyombo for peanuts and it bit them in the ass hard. The only other big on their team with some skill as a rim protector, spencer hawes, was injured at the end of game 5 and didn't come back after that. Heat took advantage of this and kept bashing charlottes interior with hassan whiteside. Basically heat lucked out, there was no way they were winning had the hornets been 100% healthy.

The second factor is hassan whiteside. He really is one of the key parts of their offense, they need him in the paint for the rest of their guys to play a smoother perimeter game. Too bad for them though, JV was abusing HW when he was healthy, so HW didn't have as much of an effect against raptors as he did on charlotte.

[jerome]

This raptors team played to the level of their opponent all season long. They will probably find a way to hang with the cav if they make it there.

[Miekenstien]

This will/could be the second round we win in where the other team has the best player on the court. Especially in basketball that is a giant obstacle to overcome. What we did to Indiana wasn't impressive because it was basically what they were. What we are doing to Miami is impressive because as barolt pointed out many many times they had one of the best offenses in the league 2nd half of the season. Whiteside went down in game 3. We were smothering them before that. We haven't lost in regulation to this team yet.

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[yabadabayolo]

I think the strategy is actually letting one guy just go off. And shutting down all the other role players

Happened with Paul George, and is happening again with the somehow rejuvenated corpse of Dwayne wade


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[Miekenstien]

Getting teams to sink to their level is a pretty hilarious, and seemingly effective, strategy. Remember, early in the year, they turned two matches against Golden State into fistfights and both came down to the wire.

this is what i am thinking a cleveland series will look like.

[KeonClark]

I actually think the fact that their defense is playing so well is part of the reason the offensive struggles are standing out so much. Such a good defense should be leading to more easy wins, yet every game has been a nail-biter. Even a semi-competent offense would have buried Indy in 5 games and Miami in no more than 6.

I don't think the defense is underrated. I just think the offensive woes are taking all the headlines, and rightfully so.

Well..if it's not getting it's just due, doesn't that make it underrated, basically by definition?

[KeonClark]

Getting teams to sink to their level is a pretty hilarious, and seemingly effective, strategy. Remember, early in the year, they turned two matches against Golden State into fistfights and both came down to the wire.

Yes our identity is definitely slog, slug, slosh and grime. We will have a slow paced back alley fist fight and when you look up near the end of the game we are either beating you or in the fight

[Apollo]

Are we though? Miami was 27th in the league in 3pt % as a team.

Yeah, one of the bright spots in facing Miami after a tough Pacers series was the Heats' poor long range. I don't think the Raptors are covering the Heat any better on the perimeter than the Pacers.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Underrated. Wildly underrated.

Everyone gets caught up in the offensive side of things for a variety of reasons but the game is played on both ends and Raps deserve way more credit than they are getting for Miami's performance. The Raps first quarter defense last night - and then that stretch in the second quarter - set the tone, got them the lead and won them the game. That was world class defense. I have never, ever seen a Raptors team play defense like that. Ever.

I actually think the fact that their defense is playing so well is part of the reason the offensive struggles are standing out so much. Such a good defense should be leading to more easy wins, yet every game has been a nail-biter. Even a semi-competent offense would have buried Indy in 5 games and Miami in no more than 6.

I don't think the defense is underrated. I just think the offensive woes are taking all the headlines, and rightfully so.

[mjt20mik]

Cleveland will destroy us based on the fact that they are been shooting the 3 extremely well. Our 3 point close outs are terrible!

[DanH]

Getting teams to sink to their level is a pretty hilarious, and seemingly effective, strategy. Remember, early in the year, they turned two matches against Golden State into fistfights and both came down to the wire.