After one round, Kawhi Leonard has already put himself at the top of the class when it comes to the Raptors all-time playoff performers, writes DaveZarum
. Rounding out the top five is Jonas Valanciunas in 2015-16 and then Serge Ibaka this year . The only other non-current Raptor in the top eight is Vince Carter, who recorded .178 in 2000-01.
Of course, the Raptors beat Orlando thanks to more than just Leonard’s brilliant play. Gasol was monumental in stifling the Magic’s bigs and posted the highest defensive rating in Raptors playoff history in the process . Lowry shook off his Game 1 dud to make a massive impact on both ends, Siakam’s continued rise put the East on notice and an engaged, swarming team defence were other key factors.
But it’s the play of Leonard that has set the tone for the Raptors so far in the playoffs, and has the team rolling into Round 2 playing the best basketball this team’s fan base has ever seen. How much do those stellar numbers have to do with the Raptors’ opponent, a defensive-oriented, playmaker-deficient Magic team? Probably a fair deal, but watching Leonard and his teammates go to work over the past four games hardly suggests a real regression is in store for Round 2. Needless to say, it will be much harder to slow the Sixers — who boast four all-star calibre players in their starting five — than the Magic.
Regardless of what happens from here on out, the Raptors find themselves in the situation we all talked about, yet still feels hard to believe for those who have been following the franchise since Day 1: Toronto will enter the series with the best player on the floor.
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