"To be clear, it's a stretch to say that he's the Raptors' secret weapon, but there's two realistic possibilities exist. One, the Raptors' transition defence remains strong and aggressive defensive schemes allows - or even hides - some of Mamu's defensive weaknesses. Two, he'll be less of a liability on defence as he already has the physical tools - he moves well - but he'll need to make better reads."
"He may have allowed Austin Reaves to drop nine points on him in 11 seconds of being matched up against him, but they were due to mental errors. He made this misread on transition defence, allowing an easy triple. In a recent interview, he suggested he'd thrive in hedges and switches, but got killed by Reaves, switching onto him on the perimeter."
"Mamu showed some clairvoyance when Jalen Green attacked baseline, acting early while keeping an eye on Steven Adams. But Green's decelerating floater was excellent, so Mamu's quick reaction went in vain. In the same game against the Houston Rockets, Mamu held Adams to two points in the four minutes and 45 seconds he was matched up with him. Mamu showed a lot of fight, even though he got wedged by Adams down low and was overpowered, outmaneuvered by him off the ball, at times."
There is a real possibility the Toronto Raptors could overachieve this season with Mamu contributing meaningfully. Two realistic scenarios could enable his impact: sustained aggressive transition defence that conceals some defensive shortcomings, or improved defensive reads that reduce his liability. Mamu possesses the physical tools and mobility to succeed but makes inconsistent defensive decisions and mental errors in transition and perimeter switches. He has shown quick reactions and fight against strong opponents, but has been overpowered and outmaneuvered at times. Continued experience, better reads, and off-season strength gains are necessary for him to become a consistent positive contributor.
Read at Raptors Republic
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