Toronto Raptors: Defence is Still the Problem

The Toronto Raptors have lost three of their last ten games, and despite a solid win tonight against the Indiana Pacers (117-98), the team’s defence is still a sizeable cause for concern. Though the Raptors have not been particularly proficient defensively all season, the last few weeks have been especially horrendous. Last year’s stellar effort on D has mysteriously been replaced by an overall lacklustre effort this go-round, with the Raptors currently ranked 24th league-wide defensively. It’s bizarre and unfortunate for a team that boasts a roster that is almost identical to its 2013/14 iteration.

The Raptors allow 101.3 points per game from their opponents, which paces them at 22nd in the league. That ranking is far too high for a club that still considers itself elite. Considering the Raptors play the majority of their games against Eastern Conference foes, their defensive ranking and overall effort should be a lot better.

The problem with playing the porous defence the Raps often display is only completely evident until the team starts struggling offensively. Early on in the season, when the Raptors led the league in points per game and other key metrics, their unfortunate defence was somewhat ignored. The Raps were winning consistently, leading the Eastern Conference and dominating both good and bad teams. Since All-Star Weekend, the team’s offence has been in a slump and their defence has not been able to compensate. So, the Raptors have plummeted out of second-place in the East.

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According to defensive win shares, a measure that estimates the number of wins contributed by a player because of his defence, a few key players are to blame. Though this metric should not be taken too seriously, it offers a good indication of fault. To start, Jonas Valanciunas has earned the most wins based on his defence with 1.9, trailed closely by Kyle Lowry (1.7) and James Johnson (1.5). This makes a lot of sense. JV plays an inherently defensive position (centre), Lowry has been as bulldogish as ever and Johnson is a clutch defender for three positions.

The brunt of the problem seems to lie on the shoulders of Patrick Patterson and Amir Johnson, who play the second and fourth most minutes for the Raps respectively. The two both have a defensive win share number of 1.3, which is pretty poor considering the inherent defensive requirement of being a big man. In the paint, more chances are created for blocks, rebounds and shot-disruption. The two power forwards simply don’t seem to be pulling their weight for a team that badly needs them to.

The fault is not only on Patterson and Johnson, as many players have given flat defensive efforts this season. As the Raptors inch closer towards the playoffs, defence will become more important. Games will get tighter and nerves will disrupt shooting. So, without solid defence, the Raptors shouldn’t expect to get anywhere in the postseason.

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