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Toronto Raptors: The Evolution Of Bismack Biyombo

By Nathan Beighle

May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) smiles as he holds the ball at the end of a 105-99 win over Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) smiles as he holds the ball at the end of a 105-99 win over Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Bismack Biyombo has taken the Eastern Conference Finals by storm, just as Roy Hibbert did in 2013; are the parallels fair? 

Rewind back the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals.

Roy Hibbert is having a solid, not incredible, year. 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds is what Hibbert averaged that year, but that all changed in the 2013 Eastern Conference Playoffs against LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Hibbert averaged a team-high 22.1 points and a team-high 10.4 rebounds per game during that series.

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He was a nightmare; he controlled the paint while trying to guard Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem or Chris Anderson. The Pacers lost the series in seven, but their legacy lived to show Dwane Casey and the Toronto Raptors how to fight LeBron.

Bismack Biyombo has been a monster throughout the last two games in this Eastern Conference Finals, and it directly draws parallels to that 2013 series.

How do you stop a defensive animal that thrives near the rim?

You line the floor with five shooters, and draw him out to guard the perimeter. This is how both that Miami Heat team and this year’s Cleveland Cavaliers will try to combat a dominating center.

The Cavaliers tried to do that as they lined up Channing Frye, Kevin Love, Kyrie Iriving, LeBron James and J.R. Smith for a period of time against the Toronto Raptors in Game 4.

It worked. Although, Frye was the only Cavaliers player with a positive +/-, but Biyombo still thrived. How?

Biyombo lives on energy. He feeds off of the energy from the crowd. Every game for the Toronto Raptors is the biggest game of their organization’s history from here on out, and their crowd is bigger than ever before.

Biyombo operates his best at home posting 12 points, 38 rebounds, and blocks in Games 3 and 4 of this series. Besides Patterson’s +24, Biyombo has a the highest +/-, at +21, of any other Toronto Raptors player.

His 26-rebound performance in Game 3 not only was one of the best rebounding games in playoff history, it also helped the Raptors secure their first win of the series.

Bismack was drafted by the Kings and later traded to the Hornets. On July 18, 2015, he signed with the Raptors.

He has been overshadowed by Jonas Valanciunas, who is the Raptors starting center this entire season. Bismack was called upon to shine when JV went down in Game 3 against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

In this series, he not only has helped the Toronto Raptors tie the series at 2-2 , but he also has made a name for himself. Biyombo’s enthusiasm has shined brightly for all of Toronto – and the rest of the NBA – to see.

Bismack will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and, with his proven evolution and shot blocking ability, Bismack will be getting paid very soon.

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For Toronto Raptors fans, hopefully their series does not turn out like the Pacers’ in 2013, as they went on to lose Games 5 and 7 against LeBron James.

Only time will tell if this Raptors team is ready to take the next step and dethrone LeBron and the Cavs from the East.

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