Going up against the Cleveland Cavaliers in round one of the playoffs presents a difficult matchup for one Raptors starter: Jakob Poeltl.
Cleveland starts not just one, but two quality big men in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Both players have made All-Star teams with the Cavaliers and have received Defensive Player of the Year votes in the past. Mobley even won the award last season. There will be a heavy burden on Poeltl to limit their effectiveness throughout the series.
Poeltl needs to be stout in the pick-and-roll game
Cleveland operates a pick-and-roll heavy offense, and they hit their roll man more than any other team in the league during the regular season. Poeltl has historically been a strong positional defender, consistently knowing where to be and when to rotate. However, injuries this season have tempered his effectiveness.
One area where that drop-off has been most noticeable is in the pick-and-roll. Poeltl has often looked a step slow, and he does not have the athleticism to consistently recover once he is beaten. If that continues, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will pick apart Toronto and repeatedly set Mobley and Allen up for easy lob finishes.
The good news for Raptors fans is that Poeltl only missed three games post All-Star break, and Darko Rajakovic said, “I think he’s in a good spot,” when asked about Poeltl’s health going into the series.
The Raptors must win the rebounding game
A point of concern all season for Toronto has been rebounding. The team finished 24th in the league in rebounds per game.
The Cavaliers were not elite on the glass, finishing 11th, but they have a clear size advantage. Mobley and Allen averaged 9.0 and 8.5 rebounds per game, respectively.
As Toronto’s only true center, Poeltl will be responsible for battling both bigs on nearly every possession. He will play a major role in determining whether the Raptors can hold their own on the boards.
Poeltl’s 7.0 rebounds per game this season were underwhelming, but over his previous four full seasons he averaged 9.2. A healthy Poeltl is a force on the glass. He will need to recapture that level of impact to give Toronto a chance to stay competitive in the rebounding battle.
The Raptors head into this series as clear underdogs. Winning will require contributions across the roster, but Poeltl’s role is uniquely demanding. If he cannot hold his ground against Cleveland’s size and pick-and-roll attack, Toronto will be at a disadvantage that will be difficult to overcome.
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