Toronto Raptors: How Every Player Helped Win The NBA Championship

It takes a whole team to win the NBA Finals. The Toronto Raptors had contributions from each and every player in their rotation to help them win.

One of the more cliche sayings in sports is that it takes an entire team to win a championship. Obviously, it helps when you have the best player but, when you get contributions from the rest of your team, that’s when it becomes scary. This year, the Toronto Raptors had that.

That strength carried over into the playoffs and it seemed like everyone had their very own signature moment at least once. Looking back on this in 20, 30 years no one is going to forget any of the players from this rotation to go along with those moments.

Comparing this rendition of the Raptors to past NBA Champs, the top end talent isn’t the same. The Warriors in their past few championship years had Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Then there are the Cleveland Cavaliers who had LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love when they won their title in 2016. Even the pre-Durant Warriors had their fair share of elite talent at the top of their roster.

This Raptors group wasn’t on the same level as those guys in terms of their primary players but obviously, that wasn’t a huge deal. The roster was full of misfits and outsiders but showed that with the right personalities and chemistry, they were the perfect fit.

Every player had a role and every player impacted this run in some way or another. Maybe it was providing some shooting, maybe it was a clutch play or maybe it was pure dominance.

KAWHI LEONARD

It only makes sense that we start at the top.

Basketball is a game where having the best player on the court gives you a great chance of winning. This playoffs, the Raptors had that guy. It was Kawhi Leonard.

He was, far and away, the best Raptor during the regular season and that success carried over into the playoffs. In fact, he’s been regarded by most as the best player in the entire postseason. And, for good reason – In a selection of series that featured Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Kawhi was the best out there.

Throughout the most important 24 games of the season, he averaged 30.5 points on a 49/39/88 shooting split, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Not only did he provide that offensive production but he also led the Raptors to the fourth-best defense.

Going beyond the numbers, his impact on both ends by just being on the floor meant so much to the Raptors. On offense, his presence was enough to open up the floor for his teammates by attracting double and sometimes even triple teams.

Defensively, his expertise allowed Nick Nurse to deploy an aggressive – or “janky” – style of play. Then, when needed, Kawhi stepped up and took on whatever the toughest defensive assignment was. More than anything, when he was out there, it felt like everything was going to be okay.

He’ll get the most credit for what his numbers say but his calm and collected leadership was something special in its own right. Not only did it show through his own play – being able to take over time and again when the pressure was at its highest leading him to have some of the best clutch numbers in the playoffs – but the rest of the team bought in as well.

After one of the most exciting wins in this franchise’s history – bringing the Raptors one win from an NBA championship – the team, led by Kawhi, kept the mindset of a stone-cold killer:

That mentality and influence only really comes from one thing: experience. Kawhi brought that with him and more importantly extended it through to his teammates.

Not to mention, he had some of the greatest moments in the history of Toronto sports. Dunks on Embiid and the Sixers, the dunk on Giannis, oh and just the biggest shot in Raptors history.

If the Raptors didn’t have Kawhi Leonard, the NBA Finals – let alone actually winning the championship – never really would have been in sight. He’s the reason they got where they did and you can thank him for bringing home the teams first “Larry O-Bee” trophy.

Signature Moment: “The Shot” or hoisting the Finals MVP Trophy

KYLE LOWRY

There are few players in the NBA over the past few seasons who deserved a title more than Kyle Lowry did. His heart, passion, and tenacity have been the backbone of the Raptors for years. If there’s one thing that was brought over from the pre-Kawhi era, it’s that intensity.

Hustle stats don’t paint the whole picture but here are his anyway:
Most charges drawn (16)
Most loose balls recovered (45)
Third most deflections (65)

On top of the hustle stats, Lowry ranks near the top in box outs per game (4th) and team rebounds on boxouts (2nd).

As I said, those stats don’t tell the whole story. They don’t count all the times he hits the floor going after a loose ball, they don’t count the attempted charges that should’ve been called or the times he jumped into the crowd trying to save a possession. However, what they do is validate what we all know about his play.

Aside from that so-called bulldog mentality, Lowry being on the court generally meant the Raptors were winning. He ended up with the highest total +/- in the playoffs and held the second best in the Finals. The Raptors go as he does.

In the nine games that he had more than eight assists, they held a record of 8-1. The only loss being game one against Orlando.

There have always been questions about Lowry as a playoff performer but those stop here.

Especially with his play in the Finals. His 16 points and seven assists per game is similar to 2003 Steve Nash during that Dallas Mavericks playoff run. Playing at that level on the NBA’s biggest stage secures him in the conversation as a top performer at his position.

Signature Moment: 1st Half of Game 6 NBA Finals

PASCAL SIAKAM

Spicy P’s storybook season ended in the best way possible. A year ago, no one could have guessed the impact he ended up having in the Raptors NBA championship.

One question just about every NBA fan had coming into this postseason was whether or not Pascal Siakam was going to translate his new found success to when it really matters. Well, it’s fair to say that’s been put to rest.

He was the Raptors second-leading scorer posting 19 points per game while grabbing just over seven rebounds. His consistency was as impressive as anything else. There were only three games where he had less than 10 points and other than that, he was producing at least 12-15 while grabbing boards and getting his teammates involved.

Siakam’s offense was more than enough to catch the eye of the opposition. For the majority of the playoffs, he was matched up with the other teams best/biggest defender. Against Orlando it was Jonathan Isaac, for most of the Philly series it was Embiid, he battled Antetokounmpo for the Milwaukee series and had the tough task of matching up with Draymond Green for most of the Finals.

That extra attention on Siakam had a positive effect on Kawhi getting him favorable matchups more often than not. With no small part to Siakam, that duo ended up with the second most points in the history of the NBA Playoffs per ESPN Stats & Info.

All this Siakam talk and there hasn’t been a mention of his energy yet. That’s how good he was. As per usual, Siakam was running up and down the floor playing 37 minutes a night. His energy on the defensive end translates into the Raptors getting out on the break, a place where Siakam excels more than most.

Pascal broke out of his shell even further during this playoff run and was a key piece in getting this team to where they are.

Signature moment: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

MARC GASOL

Marc Gasol became part of history in two ways with this championship. Not only did he help win the Raptors first title but also he and his brother Pau Gasol are now the only siblings to each win an NBA championship. Though he may have been a less crucial part to his team’s playoff success, Marc’s impact shouldn’t be just glossed over.

Despite never actually making it to the NBA Finals before this season, Gasol brought some much-needed experience to the team. That experience being 10 seasons, 59 playoff games and one Western Conference Finals appearance.

His numbers don’t necessarily jump off the screen but that experience and basketball IQ is what’s noticeable. That IQ was a big part of this teams success. It gave the Raptors the option to have five solid ball handlers out at the same time – Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Siakam, and Kawhi are the others.

Yes, sometimes his eagerness to play make and not shoot frustrated even the biggest Marc Gasol fans. However, when he was able to find that sweet spot between the two styles of play, there wasn’t a lot the opposing team could do.

Another part of the IQ is his all-world defensive instincts. Whether it’s helping off a screen or drawing a charge at a critical moment, Gasol could do it all. We saw him make All-Star Nikola Vucevic look silly and did the exact same to All-NBA big man Joel Embiid.

Even against Golden State, a series where a lot of people were worried he might get played off the floor, he was able to stay out on the court, forcing the Warriors into some tough decisions.

Signature Moment: Outplaying Embiid in Game 4 of the Second Round

DANNY GREEN

Danny Green’s shot may have struggled for most of these playoffs but thankfully that’s not all he could contribute.

Green has been a winner throughout his basketball career. He won a national championship with UNC in 2009 and got an NBA championship in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs. Once again, harping on a guys experience and winning.

Despite the poor shooting, his confidence never wavered and he stayed exceptionally positive. When talking about his shooting slump at the midway point of the playoffs Green emphasized how important it was to look at the positives and “celebrate the greater good”.

Yeah, his offense was somewhat negated because of his missed shots but reputation alone forced teams to give him respect. He still got open for a three-ball which at the very least spaced the floor for ball handlers to make their way inside.

His skill set also helped the Raptors when they got out in transition. He was either running to his spot and opening up the floor for whoever was running the break or was trailing the play for an uncontested three ball.

On the other side of the court, he was outstanding as usual adding length and high defensive intelligence to an already great starting five.

Signature moment: Banging 6 threes in game 3 against Golden State

FRED VANVLEET

When Steady Freddy was at his best these playoffs, the Raptors were close to unbeatable. We all know what happened after the birth of his son but the difference in numbers is truly staggering.

Before Fred Jr.
16 games (9-7), 20.4 minutes per game, 4.6 Points, 2.9 assists, 29.8-percent from the field, 25-percent from three, 70.6-percent from the free throw line and just one game scoring in double digits

After Fred Jr.
9 games (7-2), 32.3 minutes, 14.7 points, 2.4 assists, 51-percent from the field, 52.6-percent from three, 85.7-percent from the free throw line and only one game with less than 10 points

Freddy upping his performance didn’t just provide the Raptors with an extra 10 points per game but it also gave stabilization off the bench. By the end of the Golden State series, FVV was playing heavy minutes as well as starting second halves and closing out games.

His success in the Finals may be the defining moment for his career was a showcase of his entire skill set. Offensively, he was a sharpshooter from three, a stable ball handler and as efficient as it comes. On the defensive end, Freddy stunned the basketball world by coming as close as anyone can to shutting Steph Curry down.

His jump in performance also elevated the guys around him. Most notably, Kyle Lowry. The confidence in VanVleet gave Lowry more rest, keeping him fresh through to the late minutes of each contest.

Signature Moment: 4th quarter of Game 6 in the Finals

SERGE IBAKA

From the beginning of the season until the end, there’s not a player whose role changed more. He went from starting at center to consistently coming off the bench and playing well. When the playoffs rolled around, his role diminished even more.

Fewer minutes can often lead to a drop in efficiency and a struggle to have the type of energy Serge Ibaka brings to the table. Even more than that energy, Ibaka’s chemistry building an addition to culture strengthened the Raptors which always helps come playoff time.

His off the bench spark rolled over to the rest of the team as he blocked shots, snagged offensive rebounds and slammed it home whenever he had a chance. Those hustle plays were felt even more in Toronto as the crowd fed off those plays which made it that much tougher for opponents to play here.

Just like with FVV, Ibaka providing his own production from the bench made the Raps unstoppable. In the 10 games he scored 10+ points, their record was 9-1.

Statistically speaking, his best series the NBA Finals. In games four, five and six, he put up 20 points, 15 points, and another 15 points respectively. When hitting his short – mid range jumpers it gave him more room inside, especially against the weak big man rotation in Golden State.

Signature Moment: Grabbing the offensive board dunking and screaming in Giannis’ face

NORMAN POWELL

Norman Powell didn’t have the same impact on these playoffs as he did in 2017. In fact, out of the main rotation guys, he probably had the least affect overall. As the playoffs went on his role and minutes steadily decreased. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have moments.

He struggled to start the playoffs but was able to refind his groove in the Conference Finals while embracing himself as the “Bucks Killer”. He was a crucial part of the Raptors defying odds and making a bold comeback after going down 2-0 to start that series.

Regardless of poor shooting or not, he always had some effect on a game defensively with his length and athleticism. His build and bounciness also gave him an advantage on the offensive end. Yet another spark plug type guy off the bench.

When Powell was playing his most effective offensively, he was simply taking the open catch and shoot threes as well as finding the perfect time to attack the paint.

Powell was rarely a full-on negative when out there. As the eighth man in the rotation, he provided even more stability coming off the bench and let the team, coaches and fans feel at least some confidence when he was out there. Any above average scoring from him was just icing on the cake.

Signature Moment: Dunk on Aaron Gordon