The Toronto Raptors completely flipped the script despite finishing first in the Eastern Conference last season. Franchise player, DeMar DeRozan was traded to the Spurs and Dwane Casey is gone, despite winning Coach of the Year honors.
Nick Nurse steps in for Casey and DeRozan is replaced by Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Nurse is excited for the team's two new players, especially on the defensive end. Nurse spoke with Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports.
“We’ll have a much different thought process [defensively],” Nurse said. “We will be a little bit more aggressive. We’re going to really make a focus on trying to create more turnovers. I think we got more wings, more athleticism. I mean, listen, both [Leonard] and [Green] guard the (expletive) out of people. They guard the (expletive) out of people. So automatically you’re thinking, okay, how does this change the way we’re going to play to use those guys?”
To be clear, the Raptors were an excellent defensive team last season. They finished fifth in the NBA in defensive rating, but they should see an improvement with two excellent defenders joining the squad.
Leonard is a complete game changer. He may be the best perimeter defender in the league and the two Defensive Player of the Year trophies sitting on his mantle serve as proof.
And Green is no slouch himself. He was named to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team in 2017. He's an excellent on-ball defender and alongside Kawhi, they'll bring an edge to Toronto.
Nick Nurse should have a stifling defense at his disposal next season and he's excited about it
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