The Toronto Raptors are one of several Eastern Conference teams that made a big splash this offseason. They traded for Kawhi Leonard—again. The Philadelphia 76ers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, and the Miami Heat traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Pairing Antetokounmpo, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, with Bam Adebayo makes for a terrifying defensive frontcourt. When healthy, Antetokounmpo is also one of the most unstoppable scorers in the league. Last season, the Heat missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Trading for Antetokounmpo is supposed to move the Heat closer to contention again.
The Raptors could stand between the Heat and a deep playoff run. They can match Miami’s length and defensive potential better than most other teams in the league and have a proven superstar scorer. Although his recent track record has not been great, the Raptors know exactly what Leonard can bring to the table if he’s healthy. They could be such a bad matchup for the Heat that CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn suggested on the Third Apron podcast that they should actively try to avoid facing the Raptors in the playoffs.
“Toronto is the team that I would be terrified to play if I were the Heat because that’s the team with the frontline that’s best equipped to defend them,” Quinn said. “The Knicks, the Celtics, the Pacers, the Sixers, those other teams in the East maybe don’t pose the same matchup questions. So, if I’m Miami, the big thing … is how can we create a bracket where we avoid the Raptors as long as possible and maybe somebody else takes them out for us?”
Avoiding the Heat in the playoffs would also be in the Raptors’ interest.
The Raptors don’t want to face a healthy Heat team in the playoffs either
The concern Quinn outlined for the Heat in a series with the Raptors goes both ways. An Antetokounmpo-Adebayo duo is not something a team with as many offensive questions as the Raptors wants to face.
Even with Leonard coming back to Toronto, the Raptors are very short on 3-point shooting, especially in the frontcourt. Their lack of spacing would allow both Antetokounmpo and Adebayo to pack the paint and hang around the rim. Attacking the rim against two of the best shot-blockers in the game is not an enticing prospect.
On the other end of the floor, the Raptors’ lack of size could become a problem, especially if Jakob Poeltl cannot keep up with the Heat’s frontcourt and Darko Rajakovic has to go to 6’7” Collin Murray-Boyles.
A lot could go wrong in that matchup for either team if everyone is healthy.
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