Most Important Players For Every Eastern Conference Playoff Team

3. Toronto Raptors – Serge Ibaka

It’s been a tumultuous season for Toronto in 2016-17, which has witnessed the peaks of DeMar DeRozan – averaging 27 points and five rebounds per game, but also the valleys of Kyle Lowry’s right wrist injury and inconsistency from its front-court. Still, the Raptors have endured it, somehow, and are poised to make a deep playoff run once again.

But is it manageable?

Toronto has to hope that Lowry returns from his injury, and performs close to an All-Star level right off-the-bat. That’s a major “what if” and seems too much to ask for in such a short turn-around. This is why I don’t feel that Lowry is Toronto’s most important playoff piece, even DeRozan for that matter.

Considering the Raptors’ thin rotation inside, it makes sense for Serge Ibaka to be Toronto’s X-Factor in the coming weeks. Ever since he was traded from Orlando to north of the border, Ibaka has allowed the Raptors to take on different personae, depending on the opponent. They can go small and insert Ibaka at the 5, making him a difficult matchup for PF’s during isolation plays or along the perimeter (Ibaka is shooting 43.4 percent from 3 as a Raptor). Also, Toronto can go big by plugging in Jonas Valanciunas or Patrick Patterson next to Ibaka. If Ibaka rebounds (6.5 boards per game) and defends like he’s done recently, the Raptors will be able to hang with anyone in a 7-game series.