Raptors Roundup: How should we evaluate this season?

Welcome to Raptors Roundup! A weekly recap of everything going on in the world of the Toronto Raptors.

This has been a strange Raptors’ season, and while I’m sure the offseason will bring tons of well thought out analysis and differing opinions on what needs to change, I think now is a good time to think about how we’re supposed to evaluate and catalogue this season.

Before I give my brief thoughts, I’ll ask this question to you: Where are the Raptors right now in relation to your expectations? Ahead? Behind? Meeting them?

For me at least, the answer is somewhat layered. I had strong expectations for the Raptors before the season began:

Toronto is much more talented than last season, and the additions of Ingram, Murray-Boyles, and Mamukelashvili have added depth and versatility. If Toronto can stay healthy this year, Rajakovic has developed the framework of an efficient offense, and Toronto’s defense was starting to click. It’s as good of a time as ever for a team to make a big jump, so why not Toronto?

• Don’t sleep on the Toronto Raptors – Camden MacMillan

If the season finished today the Raptors would be the 5-seed, and that’s right around where I had them pegged ahead of the season. So in that case you could say that they are meeting my expectations. Yet when you zoom out, and consider what they’ve accomplished throughout the season given the injuries they’ve suffered, you could say that they’re exceeding expectations. Or, you could look at their failure to compete with the great teams in the league, or the nights where they just don’t show up ready to compete whatsoever, like last night against Phoenix, and say that they’re lagging behind expectations, and the group has reached it’s ceiling. That wasn’t the first time they’ve failed to meet the moment, they’ve suffered similar losses to the New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, and Washington Wizards.

Regardless of the expectations, we’ve learned a lot about what this group can and cannot do. I think at the end of the day they’re around where I expected them to be, but the process that got them there hasn’t been pretty, which is fair reason to be concerned as they chart their course to championship contention once again.

Game Recaps

Raptors chase perfection in beatdown over Bulls | Final: 139-109

The Bulls actually scored alright. Well, no. But they shot fairly well, at least in the first half. But in a beatdown like this one, simply hitting triples wasn’t nearly enough to keep Chicago in the game. Every Bulls drive seemed to have a dig waiting for it. Help was always present. It has gone without saying for this season, but Barnes’ defence was spectacular. He destroyed whatever set the Bulls ran simply with his presence on the court. In the third quarter, with the Raptors up more than 20, he sprinted back in transition to poke the ball away from a Bulls’ transition ballhandler. Yes, the Bulls hit a fair number of triples. But the Raptors’ defence was very committed to a good gameplan.

And so the Raptors found perfection against the Bulls. It wasn’t the same high as the Raptors found against the Pistons in their last outing. But everyone found what worked and simply stayed in that lane. Such games are a breath of fresh air. As long as they are interspersed with tough wins.

• Louis Zatzman

Top Performers:

1. RJ Barrett – 23 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 9-15 FG, 3-7 3FG, 2-2 FT +25 +/-
2. Jakob Poeltl – 17 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 7-10 FG, 3-3 FT +33 +/-
3. Ja’kobe Walter – 18 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 4-6 FG, 2-4 3FG, 8-9 FT +20

 Raptors out done in the clutch in loss to the Nuggets | Final: 115-121

It’s not like there’s a lot of teams that are capable of late game execution like the Nuggets are, but the Raptors were simply outdone down the stretch. It’s often been the case that the Raptors need to improve at the fast play through the bulk of the game, and equally so of the slow, late game stuff. In this one, their offense was mostly good enough, but their league best clutch defense couldn’t hold the Nuggets down.

• Samson Folk

Top Performers:

1. Jakob Poeltl – 23 PTS, 11 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 10-14 FG, 3-6 FT -2+/-
2. Scottie Barnes – 15 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 7-18 FG, 1-6 3FG, 0 +/-
3. Ja’Kobe Walter – 14 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4-6 FG, 4-5 3FG, -12 +/-

 Raptors have their souls crushed in Phoenix | Final: 98-120

If the last game was soul-defining, this one was soul-crushing. A relatively healthy Raps team lost to the still-Dillon Brooks-less Phoenix Suns who came in with five straight losses. They lost to a good team that’s been struggling lately. Nothing went right from the jump.

• Teru Ikeda

Top Performers:

1. Scottie Barnes – 17 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 8-9 FG, 1-2 FT, -15 +/-
2. Ja’Kobe Walter – 13 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 5-7 FG, 3-3 3FG, -9 +/-
3. Jonathan Mogbo – 8 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 3-5 FG, 2-3 FT, -1 +/-

Quick Reaction Roundup

Take a peek at this week’s Quick Reaction grades throughout the week.

	Chicago Bulls	Denver Nuggets	Phoenix Suns	Average Grade
Immanuel Quickley	A	A-	C	B+
RJ Barrett	A	B	C	B
Brandon Ingram	A	B-	D-	C+
Scottie Barnes	A	A-	C+	B+
Jakob Poeltl	A	A	D-	B
Collin Murray-Boyles	Inj.	Inj.	Inj.	Inj.
Jamal Shead	B+	C+	D+	C+
Sandro Mamukelashvili	A	B-	D	B-
Ja’Kobe Walter	A+	A	A	A
Jonathan Mogbo	N/A	N/A	C	C
Gradey Dick	A-	N/A	B-	B+
Trayce Jackson-Davis	A	N/A	C+	C+
Jamison Battle	B	N/A	C	B-
Darko Rajakovic	A	A-	D	B

Raptor of the week: Jakob Poeltl

I think it’s best for us all if we just act like Sunday’s nightmare matchup with the Phoenix Suns didn’t happen. At least I’m sure this week’s RoTW would like to forget. Playing just 17 minutes, Poeltl didn’t secure a single rebound, score a point, or actively help the team in any way, shape, or form. Aside from the awful (for everyone) final game of the week, Poeltl had himself one of his best week’s of the season.

On the week Poeltl averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 stocks but again, if we forget the Phoenix game ever happened, those numbers jump to: 20.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 stocks while shooting 70.8% from the field and 66.7% from the free throw line. By far his best showing of the season capped off with a 23 point,11 rebound performance against MVP-contender Nikola Jokic.

Current Raptor of the Week standings:

1. Scottie Barnes – 5 times
2. Brandon Ingram – 4 times
3. Immanuel Quickley – 2 times
4. Ja’Kobe Walter – 2 times
5. Collin Murray-Boyles – 2 times
6. RJ Barrett – 1 time
7. Jakob Poeltl – 1 time

Top pieces of the week

How the Raptors are gamifying transition frequency in their favour

They too are attempting to short track their way to a meager result. Raptors fans are no strangers to this type of approach. During the 2021-22 season, Nick Nurse infamously worked to game the possession battle in a way that was never seen before and has rarely been replicated since, despite the strategy pervading the league. 

Now, the Raptors are once again putting their thumbs on the scale, except this time it’s in the form of controlling transition frequency. Darko Rajakovic’s tactic isn’t as pronounced as Nurse’s chicanery, but it’s present nonetheless. The Raptors are tied for first in how often they run in transition. They also allow other teams to run second-least. (Both per Cleaning the Glass.)

• Ian Finlayson

The WNBA’s new CBA has been settled, now where do the Tempo go from here?

The world of women’s basketball just held its collective breath for eight days of intense negotiations between the WNBA and players union. And really the tension has held for five months after the league’s previous collective bargaining agreement was first set to expire.

Finally, it can exhale, as a verbal agreement was reached Wednesday according to multiple reports.

…

But now the 50-day sprint to the start of the regular season is on. There’s loads of ground to cover and time to make up for, particularly in the case of the two new expansion teams: The Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo.

Here is a comprehensive review of the Tempo’s next steps as they prepare to tip off the inaugural season of WNBA basketball in Canada on May 8.

• Ian Finlayson

How Scottie Barnes is at a turning point in Raptors’ season

A big part of that offensive dip can be tied to the recent play of their franchise cornerstone player, Scottie Barnes. Prior to the break, Barnes was stuffing the stat sheets, doing a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor to help impact winning basketball. Through the first 49 games of the season, he averaged 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, powering Toronto’s rise up the standings.

His all-around dominance even earned him his second All-Star selection. That is an extremely impressive feat for a young Raps player because it is rare to see a Raptor earn multiple All-Star appearances. In doing so, he joined some elite company in Raptors history alongside Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Pascal Siakam, Chris Bosh, and Vince Carter. Things were running free and easy.

And yet over Barnes’ last ten games, his offensive numbers have dipped. He has averaged just 15.6 points, 4.7 boards, and 3.7 dimes. He has only passed the 20-plus point mark once since the break, during a game against the Houston Rockets.

• Misha Nakhuda

Looking Ahead

Monday, March 23rd – Raptors @ Jazz | 9:00pm ET on Sportsnet

Wednesday, March 25th – Raptors @ Clippers | 10:30pm ET on TSN

Friday, March 27th – Pelicans @ Raptors | 8:30pm ET on Sportsnet

Sunday, March 29th – Magic @ Raptors | 6:00pm ET on TSN

Record Prediction: 3-1, at the bare minimum they HAVE to beat the Jazz and Pelicans, no questions about it. The Clippers game is winnable but Kawhi Leonard has been tearing up the league this season and Darius Garland is rounding into form of late too. I think the Raptors will be highly motivated to win the Magic game as well, it’s a must-win game for the standings and I think the Raptors can still rise to the occasion when it matters most.

That’s a wrap on this week’s edition of Raptors Roundup, thank you for reading! Have a wonderful week!

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