When Andre Iguodala won the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, it wasn’t because he completely shut down LeBron James – the King averaged 35+ points in the series. What he did accomplish was to make the world’s best player work that much harder for his points, reducing his efficiency (just under 40% field goal percentage, and only 43.1% eFG). He made LeBron’s life difficult each and every possession, with the idea of wearing him out enough over 7 grueling games to the point of making mistakes or missing a shot in a crucial moment.
Real championship contenders need this – defensive minded players who through a combination of never-ending effort and grit make life hard for the opposing star(s). As Raptor fans, we have seen our own stars struggle mightily in the postseason against such players, causing the team’s entire offense to stutter and negating a possible talent advantage Toronto may possess.
Many of the past decade’s champions had at least one if not more such pests on their rosters. From Bruce Bowen on the Spurs, to James Posey on the Celtics, Metta World Peace on the Lakers and all through to guys like Dellavedova, Jefferson and Battier on LeBron’s teams. Not to mention enforcers down low who took no prisoners like Perkins, Bogut and Haslem.
Yes, talent wins championships. But so does defense. When it was announced that Ibaka was due to arrive in Toronto, excitement could be felt in Raptorland, and rightfully so. Here was a two-way player, at or near the prime of his career at 27 years of age, with a proven track record in the postseason; a perfect stretch four to complement the best backcourt in the Eastern conference. He can score in a myriad of ways, is more than capable on switches, and provides rim protection. And yet, if the team’s goal was to go all the way, more had to be done.
Carroll’s questionable health and Powell’s lack of size meant that the Raptors still did not possess the requisite wing defender to truly slow down a LeBron James, a Paul George or a Jimmy Butler. They didn’t have a guy who could make that level of player uncomfortable. And then the final minute of the trade deadline happened.
It is my personal opinion that the PJ Tucker acquisition is the piece that finally moves the proverbial needle for Toronto. Ibaka’s addition was an absolutely necessary one, and yet it’s Ujiri’s second move of the trade season that could potentially improve the season’s outlook and forever change the fortunes of the franchise. I am by no means saying that Toronto’s talent level is now equal to Cleveland or Golden State. However, certain talent gaps can be made up for with defense. While Ibaka’s acquisition pushes Toronto’s perennial top 5 offense’s ceiling to dizzying heights and shores up the defense to an extent, Tucker’s addition all but ensures they become a top 10 outfit on that end for the rest of the regular season. Not only that, it gives Coach Casey a guy to glue onto the other team’s superstar, to frustrate them and allow for a higher margin of error on offense. In fact, I’m willing to call it right now – if Tucker is dressed on March 21 against the Chicago Bulls, the Raptors will win that game and end the accursed losing streak. Butler will not have a 40-point half, and even if he scores north of 30, it will be on a low field goal percentage and in a losing effort.
Beyond that, and with the hope of a timely and full recovery for Kyle Lowry (why did it have to be the shooting hand…), the current roster has an excellent chance of repeating last season’s feat of making the final four (owning the 3-seed at a minimum is a must). While Tucker will not ‘stop’ LeBron if the Raptors rematch with Cleveland, he will make his life that much more difficult. If healthy, the new-look Raptors can be better than they were a season ago on both ends (already can be glimpsed by winning without Lowry, the Washington game notwithstanding), lending credence, however miniscule, to the idea that they can upset the Cavaliers. For the first time in franchise history, the team appears to have all the ingredients of a true contender – stars, quality offense and defense, continuity, a balanced starting lineup, depth and lastly but just as importantly in my book, the final piece of the puzzle – toughness.
