4 reasons the Raptors are a different defensive team in 2015-16

Last year's Toronto Raptors scorched opponents, winning a pile of games thanks to an offense that could hardly be stopped. But when the Raptors faced crunch time in the postseason, their inability to get stops was their undoing. In part because of their playoff failing, then, Dwane Casey and his Toronto team have doubled down on defense this season.

It's paying dividends so far, as the Raptors entered Monday's action tied for 10th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, according to NBA.com. If you're looking for specifics as to how the Raptors have turned around a defense that was in the bottom third of the league last year, there are four major factors, according to Yahoo! Sports, which break down into two categories -- three new players, and one big decision to try something new strategically:

Starting Wednesday night, the Raptors will face some stout defensive tests against the likes of the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. On the other hand, Toronto will also have slightly easier games against the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers interspersed among the other matchups. How the Raptors handle this stretch could indicate whether this team has a deep playoff run in its future.