Kawhi Leonard was dominant against the Orlando Magic in the first round. He brings a completely new dynamic to this Toronto Raptors squad that it’s never had. Can he be the one to finally push the Raptors over the edge?
Kawhi Leonard has been great all season for the Toronto Raptors. His addition has benefitted the Raptors in many different ways. His play style and overall skill set give the team a new dynamic that they have never had.
If he can sustain the success that he had in the first round, the Raptors look poised for a deep playoff run. Beating the Orlando Magic is just the start of the journey, and it will only get tougher from here on out.
Through the first round of the playoffs, Kawhi has been phenomenal. Despite Orlando’s length and size, they were no match for Kawhi. The only game that he struggled was in Game 3, but Nick Nurse came out to say that Kawhi had been dealing with flu-like symptoms. Despite his struggles from the field in that game, Kawhi has performed phenomenally this post-season.
Nick Nurse did a good job post-All-Star break, and in the first-round, getting Kawhi more open looks from the three-point line. In the Orlando series, he averaged 2.8 made threes per game in 5.2 shot attempts. This includes a perfect 5-for-5 from the three-point line in Game 5 and shot 60-percent from corner threes this series. While taking a slightly higher percentage of his shots from the corner.
Having a wing player who can shoot a good percentage from the three-point line does wonders for an offense. It allows an offense the ability to stretch out the opposing defense, allowing for easier attacks to the basket, or if the defense collapses, it leads to an easy pass to an open shooter.
Kawhi has also been a strong finisher at the basket. Even with a looser whistle in the playoffs and playing against an Orlando team that limits opponents attempts from the free throw line, Kawhi was still able to shoot a very high percentage close to the rim. Heres a prime example of Kawhi’s strength against Philadelphia.
He shot 64 percent from shots below five feet from the basket. Even though it is slightly lower than his regular season percentage, he’s was able to score almost as efficient, while the Orlando defense was playing very physical with him.
The one thing that’s been missing from the Toronto Raptors team in years past is someone who can absorb contact and get to the rim consistently. Kawhi had no problem, as he relentlessly kept attacking whoever was guarding him. Despite the physical pressure the Magic defenders placed on Kawhi, he was mostly able to get into the or near the paint, which led to a layup/dunk, short jumper, or him finding an open teammate.
Another crucial aspect that Kawhi brings is his ability to perform well in clutch situations. He was constantly stopping or limiting Magic runs by making a big shot. In Game 1, he almost won the Raptors the game by scoring 5 points in the game’s last two minutes.
Kawhi was able to halt a lot of Magic runs by making simple baskets. Having a player like that can be demoralizing to a team. Think back to when LeBron James went ballistic against the Raptors in Game 2 last year in the second round and it completely destroyed any Raptor momentum. Even though Kawhi has yet to do that, he has the ability to make clutch baskets that limited Magic runs.
The most crucial aspect of Kawhi’s game remains his defense. Even though it hasn’t been as good as years gone by, his peers voted him the best defensive player in the league. He gives the Raptors another potent defensive player on a starting lineup full of dominant defenders and ball-hawks. This lineup is able to switch without compromising any single player.
After Game 1 of the Orlando series, the Raptors locked in defensively and this starting lineup, in particular, was able to switch and cover as much ground as possible. Both Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic looked uncomfortable and performed well below their regular season averages. Without Kawhi, it’s hard seeing this team having the same impact without his presence on the floor.
The Toronto Raptors finally have someone who could possibly lift them to where they’ve never been before. The road ahead looks tough, with the Philadelphia 76ers up next and either the Milwaukee Bucks or Boston Celtics just around the corner. Kawhi and the Raptors will have an uphill battle from here on out, but they are better prepared than they ever have been before.