Alex Len Getting Used to New Role As Raptors' Big Centre Stopper

Raptors' backup centre Alex Len is getting used to his role as Toronto's backup big stopper who must be ready whenever the team plays someone like Joel Embiid

The Toronto Raptors opted to change things up a little bit this offseason. In part, it had to do with a desire to stay flexible, letting Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka depart in order to save cap space for 2021. At the same time, though, they showed a willingness to play small in last year's playoffs and that seems to have transferred over this season.

Against most teams, Toronto's smaller lineup shouldn't present too much of a problem. It gives the Raptors extra versatility to switch ball screens and more speed to fly out on 3-point shots. They've played 20 possessions with Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Chris Boucher on the floor together, according to Cleaning the Glass, and found some success.

The problem for the Raptors is when they play some of the NBA's bigger teams with size and strength inside. Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers who require the 7-foot Alex Len to step in to replace the undersized Boucher.

On Tuesday night, Len played 21 minutes while Boucher played just five, none of which came against the 76ers' star centre Joel Embiid.

“Alex did an OK job, I thought," Nurse said after the team's 100-93 loss. "That’s a tough baptism in your first game as a Raptor, to go against Embiid, who seemed to be getting the ball every possession and attacking. I thought he did a good job. He certainly held serve in the first half in his minutes."

With Len covering him, Embiid scored 11 points in 18.1 partial possessions over 4:43, according to NBA Stats. 

"I think I did pretty well. It's always tough playing against Joel," Len said Thursday. "Especially, like, I don't get as many touches, so you really just screen on offence and the whole time playing defence, and you're always on the ball playing against an All-Star. So it's a tough position."

It's certainly a strange position, but one Len is going to have to get used to this season. He's going to go extended stretches without seeing much playing time then every so often he'll be asked to play heavy minutes off the bench against some of the league's top centres.