Sometimes if you keep on wishing and hoping for something, it might become a reality.
Game 5 was manna from heavens for every Raptors fan begging for Jonas Valanciunas in the 4th quarter. Coach Dwane Casey has been reluctant to use JV past his initial run to start the second half, because of his gut.
Seriously, the root of all evil that’s preventing JV appearances in the fourth quarter goes back to one term: pick-and-roll (PNR) defence. JV’s main issues are as follow:
- JV drops too low on his drop coverage;
- JV’s low defensive basketball IQ when it comes to reading plays; and
- JV’s hands are always down, and he’s not quick enough to put it up once Wall and Beal chucks a mid-range shot.