ORLANDO—Every night there are NBA numbers that astound — a 65-point half by some team, 230 total points in a game, 130 points or more by both teams, points by the bushel.
It can be wildly entertaining, if at times wildly frustrating to coaches who know the consistency of defence is the key to sustained success, and it seems to be the way the game is headed right now.
Offences are better, more sophisticated in breaking down defences. The players are better and quicker and more versatile. Big men take and make three-pointers. It’s basically impossible for one player to guard another without some help somewhere.
The game is evolving to the point that good offence often beats good defence, so everyone has that in mind.
It’s fun to score, it’s hard to defend. Why would people be surprised that most players decide for enjoyment rather than work?
“We keep cracking the whip as coaches but watching the games, it’s not just us,” Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey says. “It’s league-wide.
“There’s such an emphasis on the offensive side of the game — shooting the three, getting to the rim — that I think it’s contagious around the league.
“It’s an offensive league, I think that’s the beauty of the NBA right now, it’s more of an offensive, entertaining league.”
The Raptors are having the greatest all-around offensive season in franchise history.
They went into Friday’s game averaging 85.6 field goal attempts per game, their most ever. They were shooting 50.4 per cent from inside the arc; only once have they shot better than 50 per cent from that range in a season. Their 37.1 per cent efficiency from three-point range has been beaten only two other times in franchise history.
The Raptors average 109.5 points per game, five more points per game than the most potent offence in franchise history.
There are myriad reasons for the offensive improvement. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are playing at career-best efficiency levels, and the team’s depth is good enough most games to add to the consistency of the two all-stars. The game itself is quicker and more offensive-oriented and Toronto is simply riding a league-wide wave.
“It’s almost like a lot of teams in this league, including us, have fallen in love thinking ‘OK, it’s an offensive slugfest,’” Casey said.
Even having cooled considerably from early last month, when they had the best and most efficient offence in the entire league, they remain at an all-time high and remain among the best in the NBA.
Still, they need more.
“I know we had our offence going pretty hot at one time and we’re still a good offensive team but, again, you still have to add defence because there’s going to be some nights — no matter what kind of offensive team you are —there are going to be nights when you have to get timely stops,” Casey said.
The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1E6. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please contact us or see our privacy policy for more information.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
