A Statistical Look at Christian Koloko's Defensive Impact

The Toronto Raptors have become a defensive juggernaut when Christian Koloko is on the floor thanks to his stellar interior defense

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

O.G. Anunoby was simply gambling.

As DeMar DeRozan cut right, trying to work a dribble handoff with Alex Caruso, Anunoby pounced, splitting up the two-man game and beating DeRozan to the ball. A lazy pass from Caruso allowed the 25-year-old Toronto Raptors forward to intercept the ball and take it the other way for a transition layup.

Those kinds of risks have been a trend for Anunoby this season who is leading the league in steals with 3.1 per game and has now recorded 19 steals in his last four games combined. It's educated guesswork from Anunoby who studies tendencies and tries to make the best decisions. But for all the credit Anunoby deserves this year, it's Toronto's second-round pick Christian Koloko whose defense is allowing the Raptors to play extra aggressively and take those gambles.

Koloko wasn't involved in Anunoby's steal off Caruso, per se. Rather, he was defending Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic in the left corner. But had Anunoby's aggressiveness backfired, Koloko would have been there, sliding over into the paint to deter DeRozan's shot.

Steals Way Up With Koloko Playing

Consider this: Toronto is turning opposing teams over on 19.4% of their offensive possessions this season when Koloko is on the court. That's the highest clip for any individual Raptors player save for Otto Porter Jr. and Khem Birch who have both barely played this season. Conversely, teams are turning the ball over just 14.9% of the time when Koloko is off the court.

Christian Koloko	Opponent Turnover %
On Court	19.4%
Off Court	14.9%

"Having Christian back there behind us helps a lot," Anunoby said last week following his five-steal game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Moreover, with Koloko on the court, Toronto's defense is averaging 12.3 steals per 100 possessions, again, the highest rate for any player aside from Porter and Birch. 

Koloko a Stingy Paint Deterrent

All that aggressiveness would be for naught if Toronto's untimely gambles just turned into points in the paint for the opposing team. This season, though, Koloko has been tasked with erasing those mistakes and keeping the Raptors' defense clamping down even in rotation.

So far, the numbers have been staggering. Opposing teams are shooting just 55.6% within six feet of the rim when Koloko is the nearest defender, 7.9% better than when he's not defending the shot. Teams are also averaging just 37.3 points in the paint per 100 possession when Koloko is on the court, the best mark on the team aside from Birch. Conversely, teams are averaging 47.6 points in the paint per 100 possessions when he's off the court.

Christian Koloko	Opponent Points in the Paint
On Court	37.3
Off Court	47.6

Impact on the Team

Taken together, Koloko's impact has been shocking for a player still in the early stages of his developmental curve. When he's on the court this season, Toronto has a defensive rating of 96.5. For comparison, the Milwaukee Bucks currently lead the NBA with a defensive rating of 100.6. When Koloko sits, that number skyrockets to 115.1, a defensive rating equivalent to the Indiana Pacers' who rank 26th in the league in defense.

Christian Koloko	Defensive Rating
On Court	96.5
Off Court	115.1

It hasn't always been pretty for Koloko who is still averaging three personal fouls per game despite averaging just 17 minutes. That, though, should get better with experience. For now, Koloko has been a revelation for Toronto, locking down the paint and allowing everyone else to ratchet up the pressure a notch or two.

Further Reading

Raptors find strength in numbers, clinching victory over Bulls without Pascal Siakam

Raptors say Pascal Siakam will miss at least 2 weeks with a groin injury

O.G. Anunoby wants Defensive Player of the Year honors: 'He's just gifted that way'