Toronto Raptors roundtable: Offensive, defensive rank and breakout players

What will the Raptors rank in defense this season?

Gavin Axelrod:

Defensively the Raptors are going to be a force to be reckoned with. OG Anunoby and Kawhi will anchor the starting unit defensively while Serge Ibaka is a more than capable rim protector.

For as much credit as Danny Green gets for his offensive ability it feels as though his defensive prowess is not talked about enough. Green was NBA All-Defense Second team in 2017.

Off the bench, Pascal Siakam has the potential to be a rugged defender and Norman Powell is another solid three-and-d threat.

Mark Birdsell:

Last season the Raptors finished fifth in defensive rating behind the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs. The Jazz will likely finish number one again this season. But the Raptors and Celtics should be competing for second place.

The Raptors have a deep rotation, which features a number of strong defenders. OG Anunoby held his own against LeBron James in the playoffs last season. Kyle Lowry, Delon Wright, and Fred VanVleet are all strong defenders at the point guard position.

The Raptors don’t have an elite rim protector like Rudy Gobert or Joel Embiid but given the strength of their perimeter defenders that won’t be as much of a concern as in years past.

Rizzla:

Last season, the Toronto Raptors finished with the fifth best defensive rating of 105.1.

The Raptors seem set to improve in this category once again this season, especially when one considers we have added arguably the best defender in the NBA in Kawhi Leonard.

The Raptors should once again sport one of the top home marks in the NBA after ranking fifth last season with a 1.012 rating while also improving their road mark due to the presence of Kawhi.