Raptors plan to keep Harden 'guessing'

The newest Cleveland Cavalier could be the most important one in this series and the potential focal point of the Raptors’ focus on defence, as coach Darko Rajakovic revealed how Toronto could keep him uncomfortable. We got some quotes from Raptors Republic’s very own Samson Folk from the pre-game press conference in Cleveland on the mindset coming from the Raptors head coach.

“The more we keep him guessing, the better it is for us,” said Rajakovic on James Harden. “He’s seen it all. He’s had teams sending him to the rim every time, guarding him from the side, had teams trapping and blitzing his pick-and-rolls.”

One thing is for certain: the former MVP and 17-year pro is an experienced legend of the game who has seen all types of looks thrown his way to try to neutralize his game.

“We don’t want to be committed to one thing. We want matchups, different coverages to slow him down. The more we keep him guessing, the better it is for us,” said Darko on how the Raptors could potentially slow down the 11-time All-Star.

It’ll be a very important task for the Toronto Raptors as a team, not just for Scottie Barnes or whoever might be guarding Harden, as the veteran has enjoyed one of the most prolific scoring careers in the history of this game. Even if he does sometimes run into trouble in the playoffs, the task of slowing down Harden is never an easy one, and the Raptors will do everything in their power to stay versatile and try to keep “the beard” guessing.