Figuring out the Raptors offense
Samson Folk does a deep dive into the Raptors offense.
“Barrett’s game in Toronto has slowly risen from the earth, shaken off the dirt, and started changing before our very eyes. He is a living zombie — the good kind (is there a good kind?!) — a man who has outrun the conversation surrounding him, outrun the chains of expectations, outrun the assumptions tethered to his every footstep on the court.
This simply has not been acknowledged outside of Toronto. I was listening to the Ringer’s Group Chat the other day, which I honestly love, and I like all those guys a lot, so it’s unfair to pick on them. But I’m only picking on them because I hold them in such high regard. And Rob Mahoney said he finds RJ Barrett confusing and difficult to analyze, linking him to players like Cam Thomas, late-stage Russell Westbrook, and Deandre Ayton among others. He didn’t use the phrase “empty stats.” But the insinuation was (at least to me) clear. Mahoney is only one of many who still considers Barrett more or less the same player that he was as a Knick. While Barrett has shifted, the eyes of the league haven’t shifted back to him.
Barrett has driven winning for the Raptors this season. The team is 7-9 with Barrett out of the lineup and 13-6 with him playing. Or: The Memphis Grizzlies with him injured and the New York Knicks with him playing (by winning percentage). That speaks volumes!
“He just does a great job of being in the right spots on the court, making it easy for his teammates,” said Darko Rajakovic. “He’s not seeking any attention, but he creates a lot of attention. He’s just an all-around great offensive player, and he’s helping everybody.”
There’s a lot that Barrett does that catalyzes that success. He drives, and he drives deep into the paint in a way that most other Raptors don’t or can’t. He turns the corner, and he duck churns his feet to the baseline or will die (read: get fouled) trying. He’s a willing passer or a willing shooter or a willing driver, but he’s going to do something when he catches the ball. Whatever choice he makes, he’ll do it without turning over the ball, and if he shoots he’s been plenty efficient. He’s a very good cutter and one of the most efficient scorers in the league when cutting. He can handle in transition, or if he doesn’t lead the break he’ll just bury his guy under the rim, catch the ball, and muscle it through the rim. (In fact, he’s seventh in the entire league in transition points per game.)”
Have a blessed day.
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