Donovan Mitchell & Jarrett Allen Praise Raptors' Defense: 'You Never Know What's Coming'

The Toronto Raptors' stingy defense received praise from Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen after Wednesday night's season opener

Aaron Rose | Oct 20, 2022

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

By the middle of the third quarter Wednesday night, the Toronto Raptors were searching for answers against Donovan Mitchell.

The Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard was toying with Toronto, beating almost every defensive scheme the Raptors could come up with. Finally, the Raptors got creative. Instead of using some traditional pick-and-roll coverage, either switching or dropping, Toronto decided to start blitzing Mitchell. When Jarrett Allen set a screen on VanVleet, the Raptors decided to ignore the Cavaliers' big and send both Anunoby and VanVleet at Mitchell.

"That's not the typical defensive principle but that's how they do it," Mitchell said. "They have the size, they have the length, they switch, they drop, they’re in blitz, they're in box and one, like, you never know what's coming."

That's what makes Toronto so special, Mitchell said. It's why the Raptors were a playoff team last year and are expected to be back in the mix this season.

"The randomness of their defense, they're very good at that," Mitchell added. "Nick Nurse is very good at that. He's always been like that. I heard even since the G league days."

Even Allen, the Cavaliers' All-Defense caliber center couldn't help but praise Toronto for the way the Raptors defend. He spent all night getting beat up in the paint as the Raptors swarmed him when he got the ball in deep.

"They're a physical team," he said. "Every time you go into paint, you know you're gonna get hit and every time you know things aren't going to be easy. You have to go in with the mindset that it's gonna be a rough game. It's going to be a lot of hands in the lane, hands everywhere, and just got to be ready for it."

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