Raptors look like pretenders in loss to Celtics

When the Raptors were on their big run in the earlier portion of the season, they seemed capable of scoring fast, scoring slow, and scoring from many different places. A very strong mix of initiation, and seemingly, enough of it up and down the roster to allow the bench players to maintain bit roles (that they could succeed in). Things were humming, and in a way that they hadn’t in a very long time.

Fast forward to now, and it’s been one battle after another. Everyone has their ideas about why. The strongest link is pointing to RJ Barrett’s injury upsetting the fragile balance of things, but if you have other ideas, God speed. Regardless, they’ve become far worse as a driving team, far worse at drawing free throws, and far worse at offense in general. They’ve looked sparingly to their depth players to take on the role of initiating plays, and it’s easy to see why – there’s been very little, if any, success to reinforce those decisions.

So, every game has been an exhibit, mostly, of the Raptors forwards trying to power them through to a victory, with maybe one or two role players managing to hit shots alongside them. It’s usually a player elevated into the starting lineup. If Sandro Mamukelashvili starts? Open looks, and points. Ja’Kobe Walter? Usually the same. If Agbaji starts? Just the looks, maybe.

The first half against the Celtics was as familiar a script as any that we’ve seen this season. From the Raptors lack of offensive diversity, to an injured Jakob Poeltl that immediately sets the Raptors back on size, en route to a dominant opening 10 minutes for Luka Garza where he collected 6 offensive rebounds and provided 6 points alongside them. The Raptors survived the first 24 minutes with a lead, despite everything mentioned above, and an 0-7 start from Immanuel Quickley.

Interestingly enough, the Celtics played a bunch of zone defense, which almost necessitated that the Raptors diversify who takes shots and when. No force feeding pet actions.

The broadcast, Matt & Jack, reflected upon the Raptors total lack of wins against top-10 offenses, but even beyond that, these Celtics were playing without living, breathing, flamethrower Jaylen Brown and his 29 points per game.

Payton Pritchard was the most convincing player in the 3rd quarter, though. The Celtics, powered by his 17 points (including 6-6 in the paint), managed to swipe back the lead and piece together a 12-0 run across the back end of the third quarter and the front end of the fourth. At this point of the game Barnes & Quickley had combined for 13 points on 22 shots. Although, I wouldn’t present those two players as equally responsible for the Raptors struggles. The latter was connected to almost every player in a sequence that pushed the Raptors down by 13 in the fourth.

Another game where the Raptors free throw rate was miniscule to the point of embarrassment. Another game where they fail to threaten as drivers. It’s not as if these Celtics are world beaters on defense either. They’re a bottom half defense in the NBA. However, I suppose, they are a defense that seals off the rim and asks NBA players to hit “prove em” threes. The Raptors were abysmal in that sense. They couldn’t even rest easy on a terrible shooting night from Derrick White, because the Celtics were rebounding nearly half of their misses.

Even Mamu, who was their saving grace on offense — providing 24 points on 6 made triples — was inextricably linked to their struggles on the defensive glass. The Raptors, down two starters, got so little from players that they have to be able to depend on. They will forever be behind the 8-ball, if guys don’t simply play better. Over half the Celtics defensive possessions came in a zone. The Raptors players were worse than mediocre in reading and attacking it. It’s no wonder they lost.

That’s 12 losses on the season for the Raptors, a fair few… fewer than they’ve won. A win is always a win in the NBA. It goes in the column, and the Raptors have done a pretty good job of collecting them this season. They’re far from convincing, though. And if they don’t start playing better with more consistency, up and down the roster, it’ll be hard not to look at them as a collective of pranksters, coasting on scheduled wins and opposing injuries.

We’ll see.

Have a blessed day.

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