Raptors’ porous defence needs a healthy Jakob Poeltl or deficiencies will linger

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Published Dec 28, 2024  •  4 minute read

Raptors' Jakob Poeltl goes up to defend against Ivica Zubac of the L.A. Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., on Nov. 9, 2024. Photo by Sean M. Haffey /Getty Images

On the surface, the mere thought of debating if Jakob Poeltl is more valuable than Scottie Barnes seems rather absurd.

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Barnes is the anointed one, at least based on the investment made by the Raptors and the stated goal of surrounding him with players that best suit his skill-set. That was made abundantly clear following last season’s trades involving OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam.

When fully healthy, Barnes is far superior to Poeltl. The problem is that Barnes has not been healthy this season, first sidelined by an orbital fracture and then the victim of a sprained ankle.

In the four games since his return, Barnes has not looked good. In fact, for extended stretches, he has been downright bad.

In his first two games back, when the Raptors played host to the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets recently, they led in both games and would have pulled off two wins had they executed in crunch time. In those two losses, Barnes went 2-for-14 from three-point range and spent far too much time on the perimeter.

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Then came the road trip from hell and two lopsided defeats against the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies. Barnes was better offensively, but Toronto’s horrific defence was thoroughly exposed. The combined 43-point margin of defeat only scratched the surface on the countless issues this team has yet to address and may never do so until some kind of roster reboot is triggered.

Enter Poeltl. He doesn’t handle the ball or see the floor as well as Barnes, and isn’t asked to shoulder a similar burden, but his presence is nonetheless noticed when he’s not on the court, which he hasn’t been for the past four games while nursing a strained groin.

Without Poeltl, there’s no one capable of defending the post or serving as a rim protector.

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The veteran centre is questionable for Sunday night’s tip against the Atlanta Hawks, the Raptors’ final home game of the 2024 calendar season as they look to end a nine-game losing streak. Given the Raptors’ defence that has regressed to the level of laughable, any amount of minutes Poeltl can provide will be viewed as much-needed.

An encouraging sign emerged Saturday when Poeltl participated in the team’s practice.

During his four-game absence, the Raptors have looked lost, especially on defence, his rebounding missed each time the Raptors were giving up second-chance points.

Poeltl’s offence, granted, is limited, but he can initiate in the half-court when operating in the high post. His passes and touch are pretty good for a big man.

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But few plays are run for Poeltl, knowing his range extends a only few feet from the basket. As a result, it’s not as if he can take his defender away from the rim.

To say he can’t score would be wrong because Poeltl has shown he can when consistent touches are being provided. During a two-game stretch last month, he recorded back-to-back 30-point games, including 35 during an overtime loss in Boston.

In his absence, the Raps have deployed rookie Jonathan Mogbo, or veteran Kelly Olynyk, and even had Barnes when they have gone small. Regardless of the adjustments, no one has been able to fill the void left by Poeltl.

Already this season, RJ Barrett has elevated his game in Barnes’ absence by going off for a big scoring night. Gradey Dick has followed suit by providing an offensive punch. And Ochai Agbaji has been adept at scoring as has rookie Ja’Kobe Walter.

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The issue with this unit is on defence. Poeltl won’t solve all that ails, but he definitely helps. So, in terms of value, he can easily be mentioned in the category of indispensable.

There are other ball-handlers capable of taking the pressure off Barnes, who must somehow find some kind of rhythm from the perimeter.

But there’s no one like Poeltl.

What played out on Boxing Day in Memphis — a 155-126 humiliation, the most points yielded in franchise history — was a complete embarrassment, with no one capable of controlling the boards or stopping the Grizzlies’ 7-foot-4 Toronto native Zach Edey.

Had Poeltl played, it’s questionable whether the Raptors would have earned only their second road win of the season, but under no circumstance would such a huge disparity on the glass been created.

There’s a calming presence with this young team when Poeltl is available. Without him, chaos often ensues, especially on the defensive end.

Unless something dramatically changes, the Raptors may have no other choice but to extend Poeltl. While he does not fit the timeline of the team’s chosen core pieces, his absence only increases his value.

No amount of practice will turn this roster into a lock-down defensive group.

A healthy Poeltl, or at least a healthy enough version capable of playing, will make the Raptors less defenceless.

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