One thing that makes this Raptors team special is its defensive potential. Darko Rajaković has a big, long, switchable roster and Scottie Barnes, who has established himself as one of the most versatile and impactful defenders in the league. Nevertheless, March hasn’t been a great month for the Raptors’ defensive statistics.
With ten games left in the season and (hopefully) a trip to the playoffs waiting, it’s time for the Raptors to lock in on defense again and capitalize on the advantages it gives them.
The Raptors’ defensive rating took a hit in March
Toronto ranks 16th in defensive rating across the league this month with a rating of 115.5. That is their worst ranking and rating since October, when they posted a defensive rating of 118.4 over the first six games of the season. It is also a stark drop-off compared to last month. The Raptors’ defensive rating in February was 109.9, which was good enough for the seventh-best rating in the league. It was also the second-best defensive rating the Raptors posted for a single month this season. The best one came in November.
Allowing the Nuggets, Suns, and Jazz to score 120 or more points in three consecutive games and letting the Clippers get to 119 in the next game certainly didn’t help. Neither did losing seven of their last twelve games.
Despite those lapses, the Raptors still have a top-ten defense. They only trail the Thunder, Pistons, Spurs, Celtics, Knicks, Heat, Timberwolves, and Rockets in defensive rating for the season. That’s pretty good company to be in. However, not too long ago, the Raptors still ranked seventh.
Good defense will help the Raptors close out the season on a high note
After a deflating loss to the Clippers, the Raptors desperately need a win. A couple of wins would be even better, considering how close the standings are and how advantageous finishing fifth would be for the Raptors. Given their regular-season experiences so far, they do not want to face the Knicks in the first round. The Cavs would be the best matchup, but the Hawks leapfrogged the Raptors for the fifth seed and hold a tiny 0.5-game lead.
Stringing together a few wins all starts with the right energy and strong defense. The Raptors struggle to put points on the board, averaging only 113.9 points per game for the season. Getting defensive stops tends to create some easy opportunities on offense, and the Raptors need as many of those as they can get.