"I don't think it can be one thing. He's seen it all. He's had teams sending him to the rim every time, guarding him from the side. He's seen teams trapping and blitzing his pick n' rolls. He has a lot of experience in those situations. We want to be showing different coverages, different matchups, different coverages to slow him down."
"The Raptors had failed to change outcomes with physicality or gumption. They hadn't posted a number below 9% all season, and only dropped below 10% twice. The Cavs had beaten the Raptors into a slow stupor."
"What's clear after one game is that the Raptors have to be able to turn more of Harden's shot diet into floaters. It's scary to see Harden in the paint, but insulating him into floater territory is far better than allowing the playmaking that comes out of it."
The Raptors struggled against the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the playoffs, failing to adapt their strategy. They did not utilize physicality or pace effectively, with less than 5% of possessions in transition. Darko emphasized the need for varied defensive coverages against Harden, who poses a significant challenge. The Raptors must focus on limiting Harden's effectiveness in the paint and converting his shots into floaters. Overall, the Cavaliers outperformed the Raptors in critical areas, necessitating a fundamental change in the Raptors' approach.
Read at Raptors Republic
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