Toronto Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan defended by Indiana Pacers forward Paul George during the first quarter in Game Four of the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Brian Spurlock
Dwane Casey will tell reporters quite candidly that no NBA coach will say much of substance publicly during a playoff series. In fact, most will "lie to you big time." But one thing he said while preparing for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers seemed very sincere.
Toronto's all-star duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry have combined to make just 40 of their 130 shot attempts in this series – and just 5 of 35 from three-point range. Yet, in a series full of game-by-game adjustments made by both teams, Casey made it clear that deviating from the reliance on Toronto's two stars will not be one of them. You have to be willing to trust that two players that good can't possibly keep shooting that poorly.
"We're going to ride or die with Kyle and DeMar," the Raptors head coach after Monday's practice said. "Kyle and DeMar are our guys; I don't care what their numbers say – they're still two of the best guards in the NBA."
They were one of the top-scoring backcourts in the league during the regular season, combining to average 44.7 points a game. Compare that with the 28.8 points they've averaged together through the four games of this series with the Pacers, now knotted 2-2.
Indiana defenders Paul George and George Hill have stuck to DeRozan and Lowry, and the two Toronto stars have often been double-teamed and forced to take contested shots. Yet, DeRozan and Lowry have even struggled to hit the wide-open looks they've had.
"You've just got to hoop and trust in what you've done all year long and believe in the work and the coverages you've put in and just play basketball," Lowry said. "Shots aren't falling, but I can do other things – passing, playing hard, leading. You still have to trust and believe in the habits you've created."
Each game in this series so far has been dramatically different, with both teams countering as if in a chess match.
Indy's Game 1 win featured pure domination by all-star George and a look at a Pacers defence focused first on slowing DeRozan and Lowry. In Game 2, Toronto won by altering its starters, and sending DeMarre Carroll and Norman Powell to slow George, while Jonas Valanciunas made Indy pay for focusing so much on Toronto's backcourt.
DeRozan found his stroke in a Game 3 win, as the Raptors dominated and seemed on course to roll through for two more fast wins. But in Game 4, Indy adjusted again – it turned up the tempo dramatically, so Toronto was racing. It started rookie Myles Turner and offset Toronto's defensive attention on George and Monta Ellis by feeding the ball to the open lanes that created for Turner and little-known big man Ian Mahinmi, who had a career night. The Pacers also got very physical on Valanciunas, so dishing to him was no longer as easy.
The next countering moves are Toronto's, but they won't be dramatic. Officials aren't calling much of the physicality on Valanciunas nor most of DeRozan's drives to the hoop. Those might have been whistled in the regular season, but Toronto can't rely on them now. Passes have to be crisper to avoid turnovers and screens stronger to provide better scoring chances.Valanciunas can't cheat as far when helping to double-team on defence – leaving low-post opportunities open has proven costly. And Lowry and DeRozan simply have to keep shooting and hope some fall.
"You don't forget how to shoot the basketball – you have to keep shooting it," Casey said. "Don't lose confidence. No one on this coaching staff or the team has lost confidence. Continue to shoot the shots you usually make and the ones you take every day."
Rachel Brady