NBA Playoffs: One thing to watch for each Game 7 participant

Will Kawhi matchup with Jimmy Butler?

If you have a reputation of being the best perimeter defender in the NBA with a skill set that won you consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards, the postseason is where you can use that talent to contain an opponent’s strongest offense weapon. But that is not something Kawhi Leonard has done often in this series for the Toronto Raptors against the 76ers.

Kawhi has guarded Ben Simmons for most of the series with Danny Green largely taking on the role of defending Jimmy Butler. Green is a solid defender in his own right and the size matchups of the bigger, stronger Kawhi guarding Simmons, who likes to post up in the halfcourt, makes sense. But in Game 7, Kawhi should be stopping Philly’s best perimeter player, and that’s Jimmy Buckets.

Overall in the series, Jimmy is averaging 23.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.2 steals per contest this series. But Butler has only been guarded by Kawhi 10.3 possessions per game and only 0.7 field goal attempts per game, good enough for fourth most among possessions Toronto defenders. Switching on screens plays a part in the cross matchups, but that number should increase for Kawhi in Game 7, as well as preserving his energy for his offensive load.

Toronto’s role players play much better north of the border, so there are reasons for optimism that Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and the rest of the bunch will provide enough support for Kawhi to close the deal if it comes to that. Which is why stopping the one consistent offensive threat on Philly is so important in this game for Toronto.

This postseason, Kawhi has reminded folks why he is among the best two-way players in the NBA. His offense has been the best we’ve ever seen him, but he hasn’t had his trademark defensive matchup yet. In the first round, the Orlando Magic didn’t pose a great perimeter threat that required the Klaw’s services. But with Jimmy Butler in a Game 7, Kawhi should be on him more than he has all series, especially if the game is close in the final minutes.