Toronto Raptors: Defense was the difference in the ECF

For the Toronto Raptors, defense was one of the key factors in the team’s run in the Eastern Conference Finals

The Toronto Raptors shocked the world with a win in Game 6 over the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, clinching the first NBA Finals appearance for the franchise.

After the Bucks jumped to a 2-0 series lead, many were left questioning just how the Raptors were able to win four games in a row and upset the Bucks. Simply put, the key to the Raptors beating the Bucks was the team’s defense. Specifically, the team’s defense on Giannis.

To say the least, Giannis Antetokounmpo was ineffective against the Raptors. In the Conference Finals, Giannis averaged 22.7 points on a 44.5 percent shooting from the field with roughly four turnovers per game. Compared to the regular season, Giannis averaged five fewer points per game, few assists per game, and a lower field goal percentage.

In the first two games of the series when the Raptors lost, Kawhi guarded Giannis in less than 10 possessions per game. However, in the Game 3 win that turned the tide of the series, Kawhi Leonard guarded Giannis on 75 possessions and Giannis was 5 for 19 from the field.

After Game 2, Leonard defended Giannis on average 35.5 possessions per game.

When you look at Giannis’ points per 100 possessions by any defender, Leonard was by far the best defender on Giannis in the playoffs. He was twice as effective as Blake Griffin and Pascal Siakam. He was nearly three times more than Al Horford or Joel Embiid.

No other defender in the NBA could have done a better Job on Giannis in the Conference Finals. In fact, maybe no other defender in the history of the NBA could have done a better job on the Giannis in the playoffs.

Moreover, Leonard still averaged nearly 30 points per game for the series. Arguably no other player in NBA history could have guarded Giannis so potently while averaging approximately 30 points per game.

The Bucks during the regular season averaged 118.1 points per game and 112.8 points per game in the playoffs. The Bucks were held to below 100 points in Games 5 and 6. Moreover, for the series, the Bucks averaged 101.7 points per contest.

For reference, the Bucks averaged 113 points per game against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Raptors were not much more successful offensively against the Bucks then the Celtics were in the Conference Semifinals. The Raptors only averaged 107.7 points per game in the Conference Finals compared to the Celtics 104.4 points per game in the Conference Semifinals.

However, the Raptors were able to find a way to mute the impacts of Giannis. Had the Bucks executed as well offensively as they did against the Celtics, they would have easily won the series against the Raptors.

Aside from defense, Kyle Lowry is also finally playing like an All-Star in the playoffs.

Against the Bucks, Lowry averaged 19.2 points per game on 48.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 50.9 percent shooting from the field overall. This, coupled with averaging less than two turnovers per game, made Lowry sensational in the ECF. Without Kyle Lowry’s contribution offensively, the Raptors probably don’t beat the Bucks.

The Raptors bench stepped it up offensively in the Conference Finals, too. The Raptors’ bench in the Conference Finals averaged 16.9 points per game. However, in the Conference Finals, the Raptors’ bench averaged 32.2 points per contest. Without this additional help, the Raptors would have lost the series.

If the Raptors and Leonard play this well against the Warriors, it is hard to see them losing.