Raptors: 3 adjustments needed to take down Portland

2. Put Aron Baynes in the rotation to slow down Jusuf Nurkic

Baynes has taken his fair share of body blows from Raptors fans, and it’s hard to disagree with their reasoning. His defense has been above-average, but he has offered them almost nothing on the offensive end, which contributed to their slump early in the season. While the Raptors had some success with Baynes on the bench, he might need to be called back into action against the Blazers. Hanging out in the middle in Portland’s offense is Jusuf Nurkic, one of the game’s few remaining back-to-the-basket centers that can dominate a game on the offensive end.

Siakam gives you excellent offense, and Boucher is a former G League defensive player of the year, but Nurkic is almost 100 pounds heavier than Boucher and would have minimal difficulty withstanding physical challenges from the slight Siakam. Baynes will have the muscle mass to withstand a Nurkic bullrush, and doing so could help a much-maligned defense of late avoid giving up easy baskets inside. If Nurkic starts off hot inside, this game could be over in a hurry, and getting Baynes on the court with the express purpose of slowing down Nurkic could help turn the tide.