It was just Game 1, but it seems like the Toronto Raptors are in deep trouble after their horrible performance in the 112-94 series opening loss against the Boston Celtics. There aren't many positives to take away from the Raptors' Game 1 dud. The Celtics dominated them wire to wire and Toronto didn't look any bit of the team that, for the entire 2019-20 season, has played together and proved that the departure of a Finals MVP hasn't affect them at all.
The defending champions find themselves in a must-win in Game 2 on Tuesday. Going down 0-2 against a talented and rolling Celtics squad could spell doom for their hopes to retain their title and go back-to-back.
Moreover, Boston is the only team they have yet to defeat in the bubble. Losing again to the Green and White for the third time could derail their confidence. Even for a team that is confident in its abilities, it could make them second guess themselves whether they could beat this team.
It goes without saying that the Raptors will need to make some changes to turn the series to their favor. Here are three adjustments that Toronto should make against Boston in Game 2.
1. The ball and everyone else needs to move on offense
Unlike last year with Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors don't have that one player they can just dump the ball to and get them a bucket. As much as they tried to do so with Pascal Siakam in Game 1, that obviously did not work well in their favor.
Toronto gave last year's Most Improved Player a ton of post up opportunities on Sunday. However, Siakam isn't very polished in terms of playmaking, especially with passing out of the double teams and traps like the scrappy Celtics did in Game 1. Sure, they could still use the Siakam post-ups to take advantage of their height. But that can't be an exclusive go-to option for them moving forward.
As they've done with their convincing victories throughout the season, the Raptors need to utilize their ball movement to generate open looks at the perimeter and easy baskets at the cup. Likewise, the offense cannot be as stagnant as it looked in Game 1. There was a lot of standing around and isolation basketball, something that isn't a hallmark of Nick Nurse's offense.
Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet are adept in penetrating to the basket to create plays, both for themselves and for their teammates. With these two guards in charge of playmaking, the other players on the floor need to move around and make cut to the basket to get Boston's defense scrambling.
2. Play with more energy and aggressiveness
As simple as it sounds, the Raptors just didn't bring it against the Celtics in Game 1, especially on the defensive end. They didn't give Boston's wings and guards much resistance in terms of getting to the hoop. Their rotations weren't as sharp enough and for majority of the Celtics' open looks, they often scrambled to get back to their assignments. This cannot happen against a team that moves the ball as well as Boston does.
Furthermore, the Raptors can't afford to be tentative on offense. Marc Gasol, a known hot potato passer, needs to be more aggressive and should take the open perimeter shots the Celtics offense gives him. VanVleet and Lowry need to maintain their aggressiveness in driving to the basket. Their penetrations help open up the floor for open shots from the outside and dump-ins near the cup.
Several players from the Raptors acknowledged they lacked effort and energy throughout the game. And while it could be as simple as that, you'd have to think Nick Nurse will incorporate a defensive game plan that they will utilize to address their mishaps on defense against Boston. Toronto has shown that it can adapt and adjust, and they did it against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
3. Minimize Boston's corner threes
The Celtics took advantage of Toronto's defensive scheme and it opened up a ton of open looks for them on the perimeter. They did most of their damage with their corner triples, knocking down 10-of-15 from those spots. Marcus Smart alone — a subpar shooter from beyond the arc — knocked down all of his five 3-pointers from the corner.
The Raptors send a lot of help defense on their rotations. This tactic could generate open corner looks for a team that utilizes heavy ball movement like the Celtics. Toronto should consider minimizing sending secondary help, since Boston doesn't have a dominant inside presence. The Raptors defenders should just stay home on their own man given the nature of the Celtics' perimeter-heavy roster.
Follow Us
Subscribe