LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 01: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Norman Powell #24 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of an NBA basketball game at The Arena in the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 1, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis – Pool/Getty Images)
Kawhi Leonard may not be a Raptor any longer, but that doesn’t stop LeBron James from classifying Toronto as legitimate NBA title contenders.
LeBron James understands that underestimating this year’s edition of the Toronto Raptors is a very dangerous thing to do. Kawhi Leonard may have taken his talents to Los Angeles’ “other franchise” but there’s still a lot of talent on Nick Nurse’s team.
The Lakers experienced how good the Raptors can still be first hand on Saturday night. Toronto turned a close game into a decisive victory by outscoring Los Angeles by thirteen points in the fourth quarter. Kyle Lowry powered his team’s victory by exploding for 33 points on just 16 shots from the field.
A deeper dive into the box score shows just how much trouble James had dealing with the length the Raptors are able to deploy on defense. The Lakers were a shocking -20 in James’ 35 minutes of action. He ended the night with a respectable double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, but he was never able to really find his rhythm against the variety of defenses Nurse and his coaching staff deployed on the night.
The Raptors had a gameplan to stop LeBron — and it worked.
James’ personal and team struggles during the game prompted him to dispel any notion that the Raptors aren’t title contenders after Leonard’s offseason departure. He plainly told the media that Toronto “won the championship for a reason.” James followed it up by clarifying that the presence of Leonard on the roster wasn’t the only reason behind the Raptors’ success.
Despite James’ kind words, doubts will still linger about the Raptors until they prove they can succeed in the postseason without a dominant star like Leonard. Lowry was terrific against the Lakers on Saturday night, but there are understandably doubts as to whether or not he can replicate that level of play every night during a tough playoff series.
The biggest question mark is whether or not Pascal Siakam can really take over fourth quarters in the postseason. He continues to improve his game at a remarkable level, but until he shines as his team’s No. 1 option in the playoffs those doubts will persist.
No matter what, the Raptors are a team that no Eastern Conference contender wants to see early in the playoffs. Leonard isn’t there to take over for Toronto in the clutch any longer, but there’s still plenty of talent left in his wake. LeBron James isn’t the only NBA luminary who understands just how good the Raptors still are.