Aron Baynes Creates Advantages for Raptors Offensively

The Toronto Raptors should be able to create chaos for opposing defences thanks to Aron Baynes' 3-point shooting

Basketball is a pretty simple game.

Attacking teams want to create some sort of advantage to open up a good look. Sometimes that's done in isolation when a star player can beat his defender for a bucket. Other times, it's a little bit more complicated and requires creating some chaos and forcing the defence to step outside its comfort zone.

When it comes to creating chaos, the Toronto Raptors' newest centre Aron Baynes shines.

The 34-year-old Baynes is coming off the best 3-point shooting season of his career. He shot 35% on four 3-point attempts per game, the 10th most of any NBA centre last season. While 35% is by no means outstanding, it's the volume of 3s that Baynes attempts that can really throw opposing teams out of sync.

"Normally the [defensive] bigs are protecting the rim. So if there’s something happening at the rim, a hard drive or screen and roll, or back cut or something, a lot of times the big will migrate to the rim to protect it," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

This is Basketball 101: Put the tall guy near the rim and let him deter shots in the paint.

But when a 3-point shooting big is on the floor, things get a little bit more complicated. If the 6-foot-11 Baynes is stationed behind the 3-point arc, the opposing team is forced to make a decision, either pull its big out of the paint to defend Baynes or start rotating.

"If the offensive big can pop behind the 3-[point line], it’s a long run back from the rim all the way out," Nurse said. "So ideally, if the big can shoot, that’s good, it stretches the D and puts them in rotations."

Once opposing teams start rotating, other mismatches start to appear and it'll be up to Baynes to find the open man for an easy bucket.

So far, Nurse said he's has been impressed by Baynes' ability to create advantages on the perimeter. He said Baynes has been shooting the ball much better than he had expected and his ability to pass — though not quite at the level of Marc Gasol — has been impressive.

"He's a decent handler, getting it safely from side to side on swinging and DHOs, handoffs, etc," Nurse said.

As for Baynes, things are coming along well so far. He said his shot feels more consistent and his form is continuing to get better.

It's been a strange few years from Baynes who rarely shot 3-pointers just a few years ago, but now he's one of the best stretch fives in the NBA and the Raptors are going to need him to keep that 3-point shooting threat alive if they're going to create chaos in the offensive zone.