Former Most Improved Player winner gives unique analogy to describe Toronto Raptors' dogged style of play
The Toronto Raptors are one of the toughest teams to play against in the NBA. While there could be some doubts regarding this, former Most Improved Player winner Jalen Rose explained why the Raptors' blue-collar style of play makes them a problem.
The Toronto Raptors have started their season in an interesting manner. With a 3-2 record after their most recent win against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Raptors found themselves ranked seventh in the Eastern Conference.
While this record in itself isn't necessarily impressive considering that it's still early days of the season, the Raptors have racked up some impressive wins. With wins against playoff-caliber teams and title contenders alike, Toronto are quickly earning their reputation as a dark horse.
However, this reputation can also be attributed to their dogged style of playing. This was something that was highlighted by former NBA player Jalen Rose.
Speaking on the matter on Jalen & Jacoby, Rose was asked to predict and compare the performances between the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors over the course of the season. In response, Rose offered some insight into Toronto's brand of basketball. He said:
"Every night the Toronto Raptors are on the floor, they're going to play with effort. They're going to be in every game pretty much because of that. VanVleet - undrafted, went on to become an All-Star. First backcourt guy to ever do that. Siakam, both of those guys are champions. Nick Nurse - champion.
"You know when you're at the park and the other team scores and you about to take the ball out and somebody takes it in? And there's a guy right there playing defense 94 feet? You're like, 'Can I live? Give me some space.' That's the Raptors."
Man, @jalenrose's description of the Toronto Raptors is the best I've heard yet... they're that guy at pickup, who's guarding-up for 94 feet, for some reason. Just makes you want to go home, mid game. https://t.co/uvuzALVmrv
The Toronto Raptors run the floor and play hard on each possession. With a physically demanding style of basketball, the team attempts to outwork their opponent on every possession.
This has yielded some positive results as they notched their second consecutive win of the season. However, with 77 games left in the season, whether the Raptors can keep up with this pace is up for debate.
The Toronto Raptors mount an impressive win against the Philadelphia 76ers
The Toronto Raptors are coming off an impressive 119-109 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. With their second win in a row, the Raptors have also built up a winning habit - a positive sight for the Canadian lot moving forward.
Toronto saw an impressive outing from the entirety of their lineup against the 76ers. While head coach Nick Nurse continued to play his starters for heavy minutes, the players produced favorable results as every player notched double-digit scoring.
The scoring charge was led by Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam, who had 27 points and 20 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Siakam also notched a career-high 13 assists on the night to add to his sublime scoring output.
While the Raptors may be concerned with their dogged style of play, it is important to note that they are one of the slowest teams in the league.
With a relatively slow offensive rhythm, Toronto can afford to make up for it with intense effort. While this could lead to injuries in the future, the team appears to be willing to take the risk.