Raptors offence passes major test: Arthur | Toronto Star
In the first five games of the series Lowry has taken just 11.8 shots per game, versus 16.5 last season, when he wasn’t coming off wrist surgery. DeRozan is down from 19.9 last year to 16.6 this year. It could easily change, but last year the duo were taking 45 per cent of Toronto’s post-season shots; so far, they’re at 38.
And all this is important for two reasons. One, the Raptors may have been forced to come up with a real formula to beat Milwaukee’s eel-armed trapping defence: better spacing, more ball movement, fewer called plays off defensive stops.
And two, because if you started thinking maybe the Raptors can get through Milwaukee, then Cleveland is waiting. And if the Raptors want to beat Cleveland, then they will have to score. Because while LeBron James’ crew has a lace-curtain defence, they can still pile up points. And if Toronto’s offence is in rhythm and adaptable, with more players feeling confident, then they have a better chance to come into Cleveland with the engines hot.
“(Milwaukee) is probably the toughest matchup for us offensively because of the way they play defence,” says forward P.J. Tucker. “Most teams can’t even physically do that — doubling, rotations, get out to the weak side, be able to run guys off the line and move with the ball — but they can do it with their length because they’re young, and they can run out and zip around.”
No longer kids, Raptors must break bad habits to close out Bucks – Sportsnet.ca
But for all the problems the Bucks have presented to this point, the Raptors’ primary opponent is themselves and their tendency to procrastinate and leave things to the last minute. To get too high with the highs and then stare into the edge of the abyss when things go south again, to behave like a kid with unlimited tomorrows.
The Raptors aren’t kids.
If they can figure that out they can begin to take themselves seriously as a club that understands how to excel in the post-season, rather than simply bounce from crisis to crisis.
Fail and the Raptors run the risk of burning all their gas just to get out of first gear.
A win Thursday would be the first time in franchise history the Raptors won a seven-game series in less than the maximum.
It would bring with it the satisfaction of a job well done, but also, tangibly, three days off before heading to Cleveland for what would be Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs next Monday. It would signal ambition.
It would provide time to prepare. Time to heal. Time to look around at each other and recognize that a matchup with a wobbly, defensively suspect Cavs represents as good a chance as can reasonably be expected for a run at the Raptors’ first NBA Finals.
Ep. 11: We The Norm – We The RapsCast
Dan and Russell lead off by breaking down the Raptors impressive Game 5 victory over Milwaukee, and then backtrack to discuss the rollercoaster that has been this first round series. They then discuss their choices for most interesting players for each team (17:33), before Dan goes on a fizzled out Grant Rant (53:11) that gains steam towards the end.
They cap things off by taking Listener Questions (59:26) and celebrating the birth of the Raptors franchise in This Day in Raptors History (1:20:03).
Powell’s work ethic paying off in spades for him, Raptors | Toronto Sun
“It’s inspirational,” DeRozan said of what Powell has accomplished in such a short time. “Any guy who can go second round, all the odds he had to face coming out of college — couldn’t shoot, undersized — anything you could put against Norm, he’s fighting against all odds. I’m a big fan of them type of players that stick through it, push, put in the work every single time, and it shows every time your name is called. For him to be up and down, not knowing if he’s going to play in a game, start a game, to step up in big moments like that is just a credit to the type of player he is.”
When it was pointed out to DeRozan that it seemed kind of odd that he, an all-star, would be inspired by a second-round pick, DeRozan explained.
“People don’t understand how tough it can be to go games without playing,” he said. “You’re coming in every single morning, putting in work, putting in extra work. You may play a game, two games, three games. Not play. That’s tough. He played in one of the biggest moments last year (helping win the series against Indiana) and helped us. It’s just a roller-coaster ride. To have that strong mentality and push through it and still continue to be ready, and be able to show up like he did, like (Monday) night winning us a game in a big way, stepping in, it’s inspirational to me.”
Powell made his NBA bones in Game 5 of the first round last year coming off the bench and helping neutralize Paul George in a game that appeared headed the other way.
Norman Powell changed the series by being able to dribble – The Step Back
And Powell isn’t driving only looking to score for himself. On one of Serge Ibaka’s two first quarter dunks, it was Powell that opened things up. Powell again beat Antetokounmpo’s closeout and attacked. The two dribbles he took did just enough to hold Thon Maker in the paint, causing him to have to fly out at Ibaka beyond the arc. Ibaka was then able to take advantage of the rookie and drive for a dunk.
Based on the last two games, it is hard to fathom why Powell wasn’t playing before Game 4. His athleticism and strength give the Raptors a perfect counter to the Bucks on both ends of the floor. And while Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have gotten plenty of credit for turning around the Raptors offense, Powell deserves just as much. All thanks to being able and willing to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim.
Raptors finding groove when it matters most | Toronto Sun
That Powell had such a good night was obviously important, but it also underlined what was supposed to be the key difference between these teams heading into the series: Depth. The late additions of Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker gave Casey an array of lineup options, and as the Raptors struggled in the early part of the series the coach got serious with the fiddling. Jonas Valanciunas went to the bench and Ibaka started in his place at centre, with Powell stepping in to the vacated forward spot. That look has given the Raptors a little more speed, floor spacing and outside shooting, all of which has proven useful against a young and fast Bucks team. Valanciunas, once the best player in Toronto’s first-round series against Indiana last year, is instead a substitute who comes in when Milwaukee’s lumbering Greg Monroe enters the game.
It’s a lot for a Bucks team that starts two rookies to deal with. In Game 5, all five Toronto starters had at least 12 points, and Milwaukee had just two with that many, although Giannis Antetokounmpo, the wonder-forward who can seemingly make layups from anywhere on the court, led all scorers with 30. This was the expectation of the Raptors before the series began, though they wouldn’t admit it publicly: The 22-year-old Antetokounmpo would get his buckets, but he wasn’t quite at the point where he could take over games by himself, and the Raptors would have a clear advantage with the rest of their playoff-tested veterans. It took a while, but it eventually came to pass.
So, yes, reason for optimism. But then, this is a Raptors team that never makes things easy. There is the absurd 0-9 run in series-opening games, including five on home court in the last four seasons, and there are the three Game 6 losses last year, including two on the road when Toronto had just taken a 3-2 series lead and had chances to close weaker opponents out.
Numbers for Game 5: The Raptors return to Norm – Raptors HQ
Talk about obvious. Powell put up breakout numbers in Game 5 of the first round (deja vu, huh?), with a team leading 25 points in 34 minutes, on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-4 from three (now up to 7-of-7 from distance over the past two games). Throw in 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block for good measure, and you’ve got yourself a good game.
Powell has made all the difference for the ball club — the team desperately needed another option to attack off of outlet passes when DeRozan or Lowry get doubled in pick plays. Turns out, Norman Powell is essentially the perfect player for such a situation. His catch and shoot threat is obviously sky high right now with that three point shooting.
But he’s also a threat to attack the defence if the first rotation is made. Powell is posting a 17% assist rate (percent of team’s baskets he has assisted on), comparable to an established high usage playmaker like DeRozan. He’s carried a full 21% usage (number of team’s possessions a player finishes) in this series, so he’s hardly an afterthought. Powell is averaging 4.8 drives a game in only 22 minutes, up to 6 times per game in his two starts.
His attack has been perfect for the Raptors, and throw in him being able to defend an opposing wing and let Carroll and Ibaka slide down a spot to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker, and you get the past two games — impressive Raptors victories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoTvSzycyEw
Perennially overlooked Norman Powell has saved the Raptors season – The Step Back
Prior to this adjustment, the two biggest issues with the Raptors’ starting unit in the playoffs was their defense, and the over-reliance on iso ball. But once Valanciunas got swapped out for Powell, their net rating increased by roughly 40 points, according to NBA.com. The assist percentage also jumped from 59.1 to 72. It’s a small sample size, to be fair, but those two units have played close to the same amount of minutes together with drastically different results.
It’s a wonder why it took Casey this long to make the adjustment. But being overlooked is something that Powell is used to in his career. Ever since college, he’s had to change roles multiple times, from being a bench piece to a starter, then shifting from a ton of minutes to a lower-usage role. It took the Raptors struggling out of the gate for Powell to earn significant minutes in the playoffs, but now that he has, they’re on the brink of advancing to the second round.
You can tell he’s excited about the opportunity. Prior to Game 4, Powell played 20 combined minutes. In the regular season, he only made 18 starts, most of which came on back-to-backs where he would replace DeMarre Carroll. But when he’s given starting minutes, he usually makes the most of them. And for the second year in a row, he has practically saved Dwane Casey’s job.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTVB9paDleZ/
NBA Playoffs: A trio of Raptors surprise in Toronto’s Game 5 victory – Raptors HQ
Carroll has been Raptor fans whipping boy for most of this series, and rightfully so, as his offensive performance has been non-existent and he hasn’t been able to contribute much beyond shooting fouls at the other end. But he was a major factor in the Raptors energetic start to the game.
Sr. Swag Daddy looked like his Atlanta self for the first time in a long while. He was moving without the ball and attacking the offensive glass, keeping his hands active on defence and seeking steals. He even had a confident three point stroke working.
Carroll capped it off in the 3rd, hitting this floater from 19 feet out through contact from Malcolm Brogdon, because why not?
Carroll finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 from the field and six rebounds, and finally provided the production at small forward that a team with aspirations for a conference championship needs in the system they play.
More importantly, he was finally able to take a smiling post-game Instagram pic for the first time in months.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTVE9E9DGmT/
‘Heated film session’ sparks Raptors timely turnaround – Article – TSN
“It was just a heated film session,” said DeMarre Carroll, following Monday’s victory. “A session between coaches and players. Heated film sessions can go one of two ways – bad or good. We came together and we saw the problem. Then we kept building from it.”
“We definitely had a heated meeting after the game,” P.J. Tucker added. “Loud voices. Nobody liked the way it was going. Since then we stepped up our effort, and I think that’s been the biggest thing in this series.”
Like most people, the Raptors only watched the first half of that game. It was all but over by intermission anyway. More than X’s and O’s or breaking down specific plays, the discussion – led by the coaches with multiple players chiming in – was about something bigger.
Neither of their last two wins has been perfect, although the most recent was by far their most encouraging of the series. In Game 4, their defence clamped down and held Milwaukee to 76 points on 37 per cent shooting, despite having their own difficulties putting the ball through the rim.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTVB_sNA_u1/
Toronto Raptors Take Control Of Series Against Milwaukee Bucks – Hoops Habit
The trade-off of shutting Middleton down in favor of allowing Snell to go off is a swap the Raptors would make every time. By limiting Middleton’s ability to get into the lane, it’s caused the Bucks offense to stall out.
With the Raptors getting more stops, it’s allowed the team to get out in transition and attack before the defense is set.
The other advantage created by sitting Valanciunas is it has helped Serge Ibaka be more dominant defensively. At center he can provide help defense that had been lacking in this series. He also adds shot blocking and an ability to snuff out the pick and roll.
With a safety net in the middle, it has transformed the Raptors’ defense.
With these changes, it appears as thought the Raptors have solved the Bucks’ offense. Whether Toronto sticks with this perimeter approach moving forward remains to be seen. Against the Cleveland Cavaliers, this lineup would likely surrender too many offensive rebounds.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTU6moRlNPG/
Raptors trying to keep a lid on Antetokounmpo | Toronto Star
“We’re pretty confident. I think we just got to slow other guys down like (Malcolm) Brogdon, (Tony) Snell. He’s the head of the snake. It’s our job to try to stop him.”
The Raptors are fully aware that the way they’ve had even a modicum of success with Antetokounmpo is to keep him away from the paint and rim; as Tucker said the other day, it’s like he’s got Go-Go Gadget arms that allow him to finish dunks and layups from places on the court no one else dare try to.
“Everything’s in the paint, not too much outside of the paint,” Carroll said. “I think Game 3 when he was hitting a couple of threes and jumpers, that kind of surprised us, but we’d rather him do that than him just laying the ball in or dunking it every five seconds.”
One way to stop those dunks and layups — especially in transition — would be to hit Antetokounmpo with a couple of hard fouls, to wrap him up long before he gets anywhere near the rim.
A solid strategy to be sure — especially when Antetokounmpo’s 54.5 per cent free throw shooting in this series is taken into consideration — but one that’s much easier talked about than implemented. Numerous times in the first five games, the Raptors have tried to corral him but he just bulls his way through a set of arms to finish at the rim.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTUmNhtBxL1/
The Rotation: Raptors look scary and the Wizards do not – FanSided
Finally, and gloriously, the Toronto Raptors were able to wrestle the moment to the ground. Instead of the universe pinning them on their backs to dangle a loogey perilously close to their face, today, the Raptors are the loogey-danglers.
They haven’t quite closed out the Bucks but, after a 25-point Game 5 win, Toronto has found a rhythm. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan played solid, albeit muted, basketball. Serge Ibaka hit shots. Norman Powell dribbled, and hit shots. Jonas Valanciunas provided a few minutes of beast mode and the Raptors bigs helped hold Milwaukee to just two offensive rebounds. Just what the dino-doctor ordered.
It wasn’t a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination but something like this is what the Raptors envisioned when they acquired Ibaka and P.J. Tucker at the trade deadline — a team that’s versatile and deep and can beat you at both ends of the floor, in a variety of ways. A team that can feel out an opponent’s pressure points on defense, and squeeze, while relentlessly scaling walls on offense.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTUFnC9jP5G/
The Toronto Raptors Are the Best Sneaker Team in the League – Slam
Yeah, it is. No other team in the League has the sneakers to keep up with Toronto. No other team walks around with the quiet confidence of the Dino squad. With all the silhouettes around the team, they put on a fashion show every game.
DeRozan and Lowry are top tier members of Nike and adidas, respectively. Young fellas like Wright, Powell and Joseph make it a point to gear up in neck-breaking colorways each night. And PJ Tucker’s the League’s reigning sneaker king.
After the Raptors pick up an easy win over the Knicks, Tucker sits at his locker, checking his phone. Norm Powell, half joking, half not, yells over to Tucker, asking for his KAWS IVs.
“Ain’t that right, PJ? You gonna gimme those kicks?”
Tucker, the king, doesn’t even look up. Heavy is the head that wears the (sneaker) crown.
Why Bob Myers is the NBA Executive of the Year – The Sports Post
4. Masai Ujiri: Toronto gave up virtually nothing to seriously upgrade their roster in service of a one-year championship push. Short-term winning at minimal cost has enormous benefits. It creates credibility with fans and ownership that comes in handy during rebuilds. And if the Raptors fail to win the championship, or at least the Eastern Conference this season, they might be ready to pull the plug on this group. Few GMs can play both sides so deftly. But, Ujiri is in position to either win a title this year or hit the reset button and try to win one next year. That’s a nice place to be.
Golden Toronto WaRaptors – BallNRoll
What has made the Raptors so successful with Powell taking the spot of Valanciunas?
With Powell in, the Raptors have been able to stretch the floor, finally forcing the Bucks to adjust defensively. With Valanciunas starting, he clogged the paint and in turn prevented enough spacing for DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to penetrate and kick. With Powell taking his place, now the Raptors have a line up full of shooters and provide their two stars enough room to operate and excel.
This is the style of offence that breaks down even the best defenses in basketball. The Raptors look more athletic and are far more potent. Even DeMarre Carroll has shown he can drive a little bit because of the added spacing that Powell creates.
“It’s great,” DeRozan said of having Powell in the starting line up. “It takes the pressure off [and allows us] to do other things to space out the floor. Norm did a great job of bringing the ball up being aggressive, getting to the basket, making the right plays. Just taking the pressure off us offensively.”
As aggressive as Powell is, he has an extremely mature and polished game, something that should be attributed to his four year tenure at UCLA. He understands that he is not the main scoring option in the starting line up, but when he gets the ball out of penetration, he is not afraid to take the open shot, to keep swinging the ball, or to just drive and kick as well, further pressuring the opposing defense.
Did I miss something? Send me any Raptors related link to rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com.
