When Bismack Biyombo signed with the Toronto Raptors I said that he had the opportunity to be a beast. I saw glimpses of great play from the Congolese big man when he was in Charlotte. But like Toronto have done until recently, he didn’t get the chance to flourish.
Now, he has been given the opportunity and my oh my is he taking advantage. His performance in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers was mesmerising. His 26 rebounds are the most in a Conference Finals since Wilt grabbed 30 in 1973.
Raptors head coach Dwane Casey had a comparison for Bismack’s monster performance. Not Wilt, but Dennis Rodman.
Toronto coach Dwane Casey echoed that sentiment by giving Biyombo one of the best compliments a rebounder can receive.
“He reminds me of a guy like [Dennis] Rodman going for the rebounds,” Casey said. “He knows where the ball is coming off, he has a sense of where it’s coming off, and he does a good job doing that.
“He’s one of the top rebounders in the league, and no telling how many times he gets hit and fouled under there without being called. Again, I’m going to say this: I think he gets hit almost on every rebound and putback there is, and he just doesn’t get the calls, whether he’s rolling to the bucket, and we’ve just got to have consistency with that.”
Now the Raptors had to do a whole lot just to get a game against the Cavaliers. Credit to the Raps for getting it done, but can Bismack Biyombo and the squad do it again? Can they make this series interesting?
