But the Raptors had clearly prepared for this.
When King Arthur called for a screen on the wing, it wasn't Baturu stepping up to the perimeter—it was Dauding, who was lighter and more agile.
Dauding could defend him at the three-point line and prevent him from shooting a three.
If King Arthur drove into the paint, that was fine. Baturu was still there.
Some might say King Arthur could pass to their power forward, Jose Morgan, halfway through his drive, creating a two-on-one situation on that side of the floor.
That was fine too. Morgan was just a role player. Even if he occasionally snuck in two or four points, he wasn't going to kill the Raptors.
Besides, five defenders were never enough to completely shut down an entire team.
Every team had to prioritize certain areas on defense and leave others open.
King Arthur's drives were what they chose to focus on, while Morgan was the one they were willing to leave open.
And at that moment, King Arthur was indeed driving against Dauding. He used his body to shove Dauding aside and drove to the mid-range.
Baturu's defense, however, was surprisingly experienced.
When he saw King Arthur reach the mid-range, he didn't rush out to challenge him. Instead, he waited for him inside the paint.
That left King Arthur unable to pass to their power forward.
His only option was to take the mid-range jumper himself.
With no other choice, King Arthur pulled up for a mid-range jumper.
But the mid-range shot wasn't King Arthur's strongest offensive weapon.
He missed again.
Fortunately, on the next possession, he drove to the mid-range once more and finally made the jumper.
That meant he'd converted just one of his four attempts, which was completely acceptable for the Raptors.
After that, the