Samson Folk dives deep into the Raptors and answers listener questions, but gives specific time to how the Raptors beat zone defense.
The Raptors were one of the best teams in the NBA when it comes to beating zone, which is a real feather in their cap when you consider how limited they were as an offense. Not only did the Raptors achieve things for themselves, but one of their favorite zone busters found its way into the NBA playoffs, as the Pacers used it to unriddle the Bucks & Cavs zones.
In addition to that, Samson breaks down how the Raptors typically try to outfox zones, and what players/skillsets allow them to do so. For example: Gradey Dick’s gravity, Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl’s comfortability in the short mid-range.
All of this led to a bit of a discussion on Dick, who Samson wrote about earlier this week:
“Difficulty is part of the equation with Dick, though. The Raptors drafted him expecting him to be a tremendous movement shooter and multi-purpose offensive tool. He is the exact type of player who is supposed to eventually beat difficult coverages and provide heaps of impact through his ability to reshape the defense and keep offenses afloat when they’re struggling to create easy looks. Especially when you consider that he isn’t expected to provide positive impact on defense (although that would be a very welcome surprise).
I thought, at least partially, that a big reason for Dick’s fall off over the course of the season was the fact that he lost some of the mass that he acquired during the offseason. Not only did he ramp up to over 30 minutes per game, but he was also the NBA’s leader in miles traveled and screens used through the first quarter of the season. The Raptors were running him ragged, and he hit a huge wall. Fatigue and weight loss made all of the physical off ball battles even more difficult, and they certainly didn’t help him in his attempts to finish his winding, twisty jumpers and finishes at the bucket that require a lot of core tension to reward his elite touch.”
All this stuff and much more lies within the podcast! Enjoy the listen.
Have a blessed day.
