Toronto Raptors: Five reasons Toronto is a title contender

An adjustable starting lineup

Nick Nurse has already shown that starting lineups will change on a nightly basis. Starters will be chosen based off of opposing starting lineups and game plan, adding flexibility and unpredictable matchups.

Aside from Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry, the Raptors starting five will be determined on a nightly basis. Lineups will be chosen for specific game plans and more favorable matchups.

This coaching style could prove beneficial for the Raptors this season. The starting lineup will be more flexible and more effective than using a set starting lineup for every game.

Having an adjustable starting lineup will also build player chemistry at a quicker rate, as players will not strictly be set into starter or bench roles.

In Dwane Casey’s system, players became very accustomed to only playing with a select group of players. The starters played together, and the bench mob became its separate unit. The two units played separately, rather than one intertwined team. Of course, there were a few exceptions such as Fred VanVleet, who often finished games alongside the starting lineup.

In 2017-18, players such as Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl built a unique chemistry as they logged significant minutes playing alongside each other. This type of system has its benefits, but it also can lead to player disconnect between the starting unit and the bench.

Nick Nurse implements a system with much more versatility and flexibility. It can also be seen that he prefers to play a more modern small-ball system with significant floor spacing. The league is trending in this direction, and the Toronto Raptors have a roster built for this style of play.