Raptors’ size could eventually become an issue
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors’ deepest position is the frontcourt.
Jonas Valanciunas, Amir Johnson, Patrick Patterson and Tyler Hansbrough are all legitimate rotation pieces in the NBA. Chuck Hayes and Steve Novak are seldom-used specialists who are very good at one thing — one-on-one post defence and three-point shooting, respectively.
The group is deep, but not exactly intimidating. Therein lies the rub. It is a unit getting by on quickness, intelligence and, particularly in Hansbrough’s case, frenetic energy. In the post-season, though, very few teams exhibit the lack of focus you get from the opposition every other game in the Eastern Conference. Will the Raptors’ frontcourt be sturdy enough when everyone is invested?
To be clear: The Detroit Pistons are not invested in playing professional basketball for 48 minutes a night in the year 2014. They have a lot of pure talent — some pieces that could help the Raptors — but no cohesion. The Raptors collected a 101-87 win over the Pistons on Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Still, there were times when the Raptors’ big men looked like they were being overwhelmed, although they passed rather quickly. Greg Monroe attacked John so nearly, while Andre Drummond loomed large near the rim on occasion. It was manageable, though, because threequarters of the way through the season, the Pistons have no idea how to leverage their
“SOME OF IT IS DNA. SOME GUYS
ARE (BORN) SHOOTERS. SOME
GUYS HAVE TO REALLY CONCENTRATE ON BOXING OUT.”
DWANE CASEY
roster. They are a disinterested mess. The Pistons had just one offensive rebound in the second half, while the Raptors out-rebounded them by 15 for the game.
“We definitely had to box out,” Johnson said. “Drummond’s numbers are incredible. I think he has almost 350 offensive rebounds. He averages about five a game. Looking at all of the stats, that was definitely the key of the game: to get those guys off of the boards.”
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 25 points. Johnson added 20 points and nine rebounds.
Before the game, Raptors coach Dwane Casey fretted about how his team would hold up inside. The Raptors’ lone 7-footer, Valanciunas, is struggling to find his form late in his second season. He was solid against Detroit, with eight points and 13 rebounds. The rest of Casey’s options are undersized for the centre spot or a bit slight. Detroit’s trio of big men, Monroe, Drummond and Josh Smith, has failed to mesh together for the lethargic Pistons. Individually, those players can create matchup problems on the glass. They can play keep-away on the boards if positioning is lost. The Raptors’ guards helped out Wednesday, with Greivis Vasquez, Kyle Lowry and John Salmons combining for 17 rebounds.
“Some of it is DNA. Some guys are (born) shooters. Some guys have to really concentrate on boxing out. Some guys are just natural rebounders. They just go get it,” Casey said.
“That’s something we’re working with our guys on. There are situations where we don’t do a great job of boxing out, and lose focus and just try to out-jump somebody or out-reach somebody. In this league, especially tonight, you have to have an extraordinary effort of putting a body on somebody and then going to get the ball.”