In these 2020 NBA Playoffs, the story of the Raptors vs. Nets opening round series has been the play of Toronto’s defense and their guards. In Game 1, Toronto smothered the upstart Brooklyn team, pushing them around in various ways until they ultimately just gave up down the stretch. Watching Fred VanVleet shoot 8-for-10 from three also had something to do with that too.
In Game 2, however, the Nets pushed back and actually took control for much of the contest. Toronto’s guards couldn’t hit anything from range, and if not for an explosion from Norman Powell, who looked unstoppable going to the rim, things very well could have turned out differently.