Sport
Competitive play a double-edged sword for Raptors
Getting into the brand new season the Toronto Raptors emphasised that they have been going to play arduous, speedy, competitive basketball.
9 video games in, that taste of play has develop into a double-edged sword for Toronto. In spite of their 2-7 document, the Raptors lead the NBA with 30.6 assists consistent with sport and feature the eighth-best offence with 118 issues consistent with sport.
Toronto could also be permitting a league-worst 124.7 issues consistent with sport, however has misplaced 5 of its previous six video games through six or fewer issues.
Their suffocating transition defence has an NBA-best 19.5 turnover frequency proportion, however the Raptors are 3rd worst within the league with their offence giving up 16.8 turnovers consistent with sport.
“We’ve simply were given to proceed to play arduous and determine it out,” swingman RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., advised newshounds, noting that the Raptors led after 3 quarters of their 122-107 loss in Sacramento on Wednesday and led through up to 15 in a 121-119 loss in Denver on Monday.
“We’re doing the suitable issues, we’ve simply were given to discover ways to maintain the ones over the process 48 mins. If you have a brand new crew, numerous younger guys, it’s a studying procedure for all folks.”
Comparable Movies
Toronto has needed to lean closely on its inexperienced persons or second-year gamers with all-star ahead Scottie Barnes (damaged orbital) and level guard Immanuel Quickley (proper pelvic contusion) out. Veteran reserves Kelly Olynyk (lumbar pressure) of Kamloops, B.C., and Bruce Brown (arthroscopic knee surgical procedure) have additionally been unavailable.
Get breaking Nationwide information
For information impacting Canada and around the globe, join breaking information signals delivered immediately to you after they occur.
“The blokes which are enjoying are being used to enjoying with each and every different and that means we will hit the bottom working after we get Scottie and Fast and everybody again,” sophomore swingman Gradey Dick advised newshounds after the loss in Denver. “(Head trainer Darko Rajakovic) got here in and mentioned how he’s now not large on ethical victories so I feel we take that mentality that going into this with we will’t simply be at liberty that we made it shut.
“However with the crew that we’ve got we wish to know that we’re enjoying just right however in the long run we wish to understand how to complete out video games.”
Drilling down into the Raptors’ numbers paints an advanced image of who they’re this season.
Toronto is fourth within the NBA in offensive rebounds with 13.8 consistent with sport, however is seventeenth in general forums with a mean of 44.2.
Most likely maximum complicated is how continuously Toronto will get referees to blow the whistle.
The Raptors are averaging 26.2 fouls consistent with sport — moment worst within the league — however are tied with the Washington Wizards for tenth maximum drawn at 20.8.
That moment determine would make extra sense if Toronto’s forwards have been suffering, however they’re now not. The Raptors are scoring 60 issues within the paint consistent with sport, moment maximum within the NBA.
A crew that’s doing such a lot across the rim — each scoring and grabbing offensive rebounds — must be capable of draw extra fouls, however they haven’t been ready to get the good thing about calls up to now this season.
“It’s each evening we’re fouling so much,” Barrett advised newshounds in Sacramento after Toronto had 15 unfastened throw makes an attempt to the Kings’ 32. “We simply have to take a look at to determine that out, work out how one can play defence with out fouling.
“Then at the offensive finish simply going to the paint sturdy and making the suitable performs.”
The Raptors proceed their west-coast swing with a Los Angeles back-to-back, dealing with the Clippers on Saturday and the Lakers on Sunday.
This file through The Canadian Press was once first revealed Nov. 7, 2024.
&replica 2024 The Canadian Press
Supply hyperlink