The Raptors have struggled against zone defenses this season, ranking 28th in efficiency against the coverage while facing it the fourth-most in the league. The Kings got the message and deployed it for 75% of the game. It led to the Raptors struggling in the first half. But Scottie Barnes quickly adjusted and broke their coverage.
In this recap, I break down just how Scottie was able to impress upon the Kings’ defense:
Here’s Ian Finlayson on the Raptors missing their two big men, Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles:
It hasn’t just been the Raptors’ twin boulders that have stepped up. Rebounding from the wings and guards has ticked up too as the entire team has fought tooth and nail to not get bullied by the big guys. Brandon Ingram’s rebounding has stood out in particular.
So they haven’t been without help, but the brunt of the work has still fallen on the backs of their two pseudo-big men. Barnes and Murray-Boyles have uniquely carried the Raptors through this challenging and offbeat span of games, largely by defying convention and stretching the expectations of what a player of their proportions can offer. And while it might not be viable for an extended stretch, it also may have unearthed a secret sauce, one that could be effective even when melded with a seven-footer to fuel more winning in the future.
With Murray-Boyles now sidelined with a thumb contusion, it will get even harder. Mamu gave a herculean effort with 12 boards against a weak Warriors frontcourt on Tuesday, but Donovan Clingan- and Chet Holmgren-shaped towers loom in the foreground. The Raptors have survived without a big, but that doesn’t mean they won’t need one. Poeltl’s return remains murky with the latest reporting being that he isn’t working out near game speed. Meanwhile, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange Day’Ron Sharpe and Goga Bitadze are potential trade targets for the Raptors.
