Apr 25, 2016
This is the Raptors' biggest week since May 2001
TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong says this is the biggest week for the franchise since May 2001, when the team faced the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
TSN basketball analyst Jack Armstrong gives his thoughts on Toronto’s struggles and a benchmark moment for the first time in 15 years.
1. BIGGEST WEEK FOR RAPTORS SINCE MAY OF 2001: I've been broadcasting Raptors games for 18 years now and there is no doubt that this is the biggest week for the franchise since May 2001, when the team faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The Raptors earned back home-court advantage with a wonderful win in Game 3 at Indianapolis, but showed a baffling lack of fight and understanding of how hard Game 4 was going to be. There is no doubt now that the Pacers feel like they can win this series. All of the pressure is now on Toronto and the Pacers have managed to frustrate Lowry and DeRozan and slow down Jonas Valanciunas.
It will be fascinating to watch how this Raptors team handles the scrutiny and whether it can show the killer instinct it lacked on Saturday. We’re down to the best of three and the Raptors have home court. They earned that right and now it’s time to take the next step. I picked the Raptors in six in this series and I stand by it. Anyone who thought this series was going to be easy was wrong. It’s a brutal matchup for the Raptors, yet both sides have shown their hands now. Which team is better? It's time for the Raptors to play like the team that was the fourth best team in the NBA this season. This group is good enough. The word team is important — play like one in every respect. The moment of truth has arrived.
2. RAPTORS OFFENCE: The sloppiness of Toronto’s execution, the high turnover numbers in Game 1 and Game 4 and the overall soft nature of their approach feeds right into what makes the Pacers a formidable opponent. Indiana thrives on creating opportunities off their defence to get run outs and easy man-advantage baskets. The Raptors played with an edge and purpose in the second and third games of the series, protecting and moving the ball to get better overall shots.
Yes, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan need to understand that their matchups (George Hill and Paul George) have and will continue to be difficult to score on. It’s also a fact that the playoffs are unlike the regular season — you can't assume that what worked in January will come just as easy now. The Hawks - Celtics game Sunday was a great example of how you have to be at a higher level at this time of year to get your game off and help your team win in high-stakes competition. The fact the Raptors have won 48, 49 and 56 games in the last three regular seasons is nice, but the team has also gone 5-10 in the postseason over that same stretch. It's time to acknowledge the difficult nature of playoff offence versus playoff defence and make the “right” basketball plays. Lowry and DeRozan are smart, competitive players who know how to play the right way and not allow frustration to impact them on the next play.
Trust your teammates, trust the pass, trust the game plan and trust your instincts, and I'm confident that it will come together. The Pacers are a terrific defensive team, so winning this series won't be easy. If the Raptors play tough, take high-percentage shots, protect the ball and play as a team on offence, they'll win this series. If they play soft, take poor shots, turn the ball over and try to play hero ball, they'll lose. It’s really as simple as that. The formula for playoff success is very clear: follow that path and give your defence a chance to lock down the Pacers’ offence in the half court.
3. BYRON SCOTT (Lakers): I’m not the least bit shocked that the Lakers let him go, but I’m not sure why it took so long to make the move. Los Angeles has to focus on improving this summer, so you'd think they'd do everything possible to have the opportunity to be involved with each and every elite coaching prospect out on the market. Instead they dragged their feet. Maybe the Lakers front office already has their guy and wanted to make sure that it was a done deal before they made the move with Scott. Only time will tell. Good organizations are proactive, not reactive. The clock is ticking on the Jim Buss era in L.A. He better have this thing pointed back in the proper direction by next spring or he'll be exiting stage left.
4. KYRIE IRVING (Cavs): The more I watch this guy the more impressed I am with just how special an offensive talent he is. He can literally make all the shots and all of the plays off the bounce. His creativity, skill and range are elite. Yes, there are times he forces his game and forgets about his teammates, but I'm seeing more and more a level of trust and maturity in his game that should be coming out at this stage of his career. He's a dynamic force that will be difficult for any team to stop once he finally figures it all out.
5. JONAS JEREBKO (Celtics): He started the past two games for Boston against the Hawks and has given his team back-to-back double-doubles in a pair of wins. His energy, athleticism, toughness, shooting, defensive skill and nose for the ball on the glass have been helpful versus the mobile and tough-to-guard Hawks bigs. He seems to have found a home playing for Brad Stevens in Boston. He possesses a skillset that can help a team be successful in today’s NBA. He’s a rangy role player who has matured this season after a stretch of inconsistent opportunities in Detroit.