Raptors’ Brandon Ingram on NBA playoff defences: 'I’ve seen both'

The Toronto Raptors are heading into the playoffs as one of the league’s youngest teams, making Brandon Ingram’s presence all the more important.

Since entering the league in 2016, Ingram has done a nice job being able to build a reputation as one of the NBA’s most polished scorers. More importantly, he has seen it all when it comes to defensive coverages. Whether facing single defenders or double teams, Ingram has consistently shown the ability to adapt and produce, experience that could prove critical for a young Toronto group.

Speaking at practice Thursday, Ingram made it clear he is comfortable handling whatever defences come his way.

“I’m at the point in my career where I’ve seen both,” he said. “If it’s the mid-range, it probably won’t matter. On the perimeter, if they send two, I’m able to see over the top and pick defences apart. At that point, it’s just about whether we’re making shots.”

Ingram has carried that confidence into the postseason before. Across 10 career playoff games, he has averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.

This season, Ingram has had a great bounceback. After dealing with an ankle injury last year with the New Orleans Pelicams, Ingram appeared in 77 games for Toronto, which is highest total since his rookie year.

Across those 77 games he has averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. That kind of production was good enough to help Toronto earn the fifth seed in the eastern conference and earn himself his second career all-star appearance.

Outside of talking about the defensive coverages he could face, BI3 also metioned his thoughts about solving playoff defences. “I’m excited. The good thing about this is that there’s no back to backs.”

That line is important especially considering he has played the most games of his career since his rookie season and that rest can go along way, but ingram also stated it is good because “you play one game, see everything they did, or everything they’re trying to take away and you just write up another game plan and see if it’s successful.”

For a young Raptors team entering the postseason, Ingram’s scoring matters, but his experience and feel for the game could be just as valuable. Game one between the Raps and the Cleveland Cavaliers tips off this Saturday.