The Toronto Raptors had to make adjustments entering Game 2 of their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. And they did.
Brandon Ingram was featured offensively early and often, bringing up the ball and being given out-screens for more pick n’ roll looks. While it didn’t happen right away, Jakob Poeltl’s continued ineptitude guarding in space got him a seat on the bench in favour of the more mobile (and magnetic) Collin Murray-Boyles. Jamal Shead was still prioritized over Ja’Kobe Walter, but more 3-point shots were shifted to the latter, and Shead passed more out of drives rather than taking iffy shots from the short-mid range.
The changes had mixed results. Ingram put up a dud, but process-wise the Raptors managed to get him his shots without him commandeering the entire offence. Murray-Boyles, and the Raptors as a whole, were more effective at corralling James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at the point of attack. They got more stops and steals resulting in 16 fastbreak points, up from three in Game 1. Of course, Harden and Mitchell made ludicrous shots regardless.
Outside of Ingram’s outlier poor shooting performance and Toronto being uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball – to the tune of 22 turnovers – Game 2 was right there for the Raptors. Here’s what they can carry forward into Game 3.
Collin Murray-Boyles changing the Cavaliers’ offence Â
Probably the most notable positive change came as a result of Collin Murray-Boyles getting the lion’s share of minutes at centre and Jakob Poeltl sitting down for the game at half.
The 20-year-old rookie continued to impress by leveraging his strength to move Jarrett Allen and collect boards, and by finishing efficiently at the rim. Still, the most notable effect Murray-Boyles had on the game was his presence changing the way Cleveland attacked Toronto’s defence. Leading into Game 2 I thought CMB should get the start and be matched closely with the Cavs’ starters because of his ability to switch ball screens and limit dangerous dribble penetration from Harden and Mitchell at the point of attack. The stout rookie was even able to stand them up, bother their dribble and on one occasion, pick Mitchell for a steal in Game 1.
In Game 2, he helped cause multiple turnovers and was impermeable on the perimeter.
However, CMB didn’t get the opportunity to blow up actions often, as Cleveland obviously made an effort to not involve him in them. Watching back all Murray-Boyles defensive possessions from Game 2, he was only involved in defending a few ball screens. This makes sense as he wreaks havoc in these spots, but this also left him available to help as a backline sweeper, another role he excels in. Of course, just having Poeltl off the floor prevented Cleveland from taking advantage of his heavy feet. CMB would then stay occupied in the dunker with one of Evan Mobley or Allen while Scottie Barnes or Sandro Mamukelashvili would be involved guarding the other big in pick n’ roll. Both are far more fleet of foot than the big Austrian and able to hang in switch, with Barnes of course being particularly effective. In this way, Murray-Boyles took Cleveland’s offence from picking on Poeltl to avoiding the phenomenal first-year big.
The sample has actually been quite poor for Barnes and Murray-Boyles two-man lineups so far in the playoffs, both offensively and defensively, but 32 minutes over two games is so minuscule it can’t be given much credence. On the season they were among Toronto’s best with a 104.5 defensive rating. The Raptors matching up Barnes and Murray-Boyles with the Cavs’ starters as best they can should give them the greatest chance to deter drives while still having a formidable low man to clean things up on the back end.
If Murray-Boyles switching or Barnes taking the Harden assignment results in mismatches, like it did in Game 2, the Raptors need to be better at forming up defensively behind that. Getting the ball out of Harden and Mitchell’s hands doesn’t do any good if it results in a mismatch and open dunk, like it did for Mobley here.
Instead the Raptors need to be ready with backside help and ideally force Mobley to pass out of a double there. Sure it’s hard when Mitchell is occupying Scottie Barnes in the weakside corner and everyone else is above the break, but the Raptors need to work to continually force Cleveland to their next read.
Secondary, tertiary scoring
So far, by Cleaning the Glass’s location effective field goal percentage – which grades teams as if they shot league average from their shot locations – the Raptors rank second in the playoffs at 55.6 percent. (Cleveland is third at 55.5, which seems absurd considering the tough shot making Harden and Mitchell have exhibited.)
They’ve done a good job at getting their role players high-quality shots, from basket cuts to spot ups for players like Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ja’Kobe Walter. A lot of Walters 3s have come from running wide to the corners in transition. But they also ran a nice stagger for him on a baseline out of bounds.
Otherwise, RJ Barrett has been central to the Raptors producing quality looks. He’s the team’s best downhill driving threat and their best pick n’ roll ball handler, and has lived up to both those billings through two playoff games. They frequently run empty side pick n’ roll for Barrett, and his relentless snowplowing to the rim both gets him points (with help from Mamu’s Gortat screen on that first one) and allows him to make lay downs to his teammates for easy buckets. Barrett ranks top-15 in playoff drives per game at 13 and his 70 percent shooting on them is behind only Scoot Henderson in that group.
The hometown kid, Barrett’s been a good quote so far in the playoffs, most recently saying to reporters that he “feels like a little kid,” as he prepares to play his first playoff game at home in front of family and friends. Barrett is set up for a big game Thursday, both tactically and storyline-wise.
One last note, amid all the “getting Ingram shots” talk going into Game 2, the Raptors ran 77 skip for him in the third quarter. I don’t recall them running this for Ingram before and think it was an interesting look. As pointed out by our Samson Folk and Louis Zatzman on Bald Don’t Lie Wednesday, most of the actions the Raptors run for Ingram are designed to just get him the ball, not create an advantage. In this case, Dean Wade was forced into a closeout, and Ingram used a pump-fake to get into the second level of the defence. Curious if we see anything more like this. Â
