The Golden State Warriors are the NBA’s best offence, maybe ever. The Toronto Raptors might be the NBA’s best defence, and they might be the best defence this Warriors dynasty has gone head-to-head with.



The NBA Finals will play out in more complex fashion than the irresistible force, immovable object trope, but it’s a heck of a good way to set the scene: In the modern NBA, where 3-point shooting and pace rule the discourse, can a grimy, switchy defence ward off a seemingly inevitable supernova? If the Raptors can answer in the affirmative, they’ll have their first NBA championship. If not, the Warriors will cement themselves among the greatest dynasties in all of modern sports, winning a fourth title over five consecutive NBA Finals appearances.



Which of those outcomes you think plays out likely comes down to how much faith you put into a team’s ability to “flip the switch,” as it were. The Warriors were good all season. They...