Toronto Raptors’ defence gets tough in hot span

TORONTO – James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are 2 of the astir prolific scorers successful the NBA, but against the abruptly blistery Toronto Raptors they looked average.

Rookie Ja’Kobe Walter said that Toronto’s occurrence against Harden and Leonard successful a 115-108 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Clippers was impervious that the Raptors are gaining assurance connected defence. The triumph was Toronto’s eighth successful its past 10 games.

“Everybody knows what (Harden and Leonard) are susceptible of doing,” said Walter, who had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and a bargain successful 21 minutes disconnected the bench. “You’ve got to cardinal successful connected those guys.

“We’ve watched a batch of film, we cognize their tendencies, we conscionable tried to bash what we could to the champion of our abilities, taking distant what they similar to do.”

Harden led Los Angeles with 25 points successful the loss, adding 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Leonard had 14 points, six rebounds and 3 assists.

But Harden was constricted to 35 per cent shooting from field-goal scope and Leonard changeable 33 per cent, some good beneath their vocation averages of 44 and 49.8 per cent respectively.

“They did a large occupation contiguous playing defence and they protected their location floor,” said Leonard, who was instrumental successful the Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship. “That’s however they got the win.”

Toronto’s defence has helped it go 1 of the hottest teams successful the NBA with the league’s commercialized deadline looming connected Thursday afternoon. It’s not wide yet if the rebuilding Raptors volition beryllium buyers, sellers, oregon basal pat astatine the deadline.

Opponents person been constricted to less than 100 points 4 times successful Toronto’s past 10 games, helping the Raptors triumph 8 of those matchups. Walter said that this agelong has been assurance building.

“You tin truly archer connected the court, we’re truly starting to assistance each different defensively,” said the 20-year-old Walter. “We’re talking and the much that we fastener up, the much assurance we get passim the game.

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“We’ve been winning, too. It conscionable carries over.”

Sophomore Gradey Dick, much known for his interaction arsenic a shooter, was paired disconnected with Leonard passim the game, dogging the two-time NBA finals MVP astir the court.

Dick said that the instrumentality of players similar Immanuel Quickley and Bruce Brown from wounded has helped Toronto (16-33) stiffen its defence and statesman its ascent up the Eastern Conference standings.

“There’s truthful overmuch alteration with our roster successful the past mates weeks, with guys coming back,” said Dick. “Just getting large pieces similar that.

“I deliberation it’s conscionable knowing successful our heads we don’t request to change, truly anything. We conscionable request to spell retired determination and play hard.”

Quickley is inactive connected a minutes regularisation and had 11 points and six assists successful 17 minutes of play clip connected Sunday. Brown had six points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists disconnected the bench.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Feb. 2, 2025.