Mid-Morning Coffee - Dec. 23, 2024
Walter shines in loss | Barnes MIA | Immanuel needs to get back quickly (sorry)
Toronto Raptors lose seventh straight game to Fred VanVleet and Houston Rockets - Raptors Republic
Toronto’s seventh straight loss dropped the team to 7-22, the third-worst record in the NBA. It was another close loss for Canada’s team, as 13 of their 22 losses have come by seven points or less, including five losses by that mark throughout this losing streak. After leading by 16 at one point in this one, the Raptors had a double-digit lead in three of the last four games and have lost all of them.
It didn’t initially seem like it would come down to the wire, as Toronto had a great first quarter. After an early Darko Rajakovic timeout not even two minutes into the game, the Raptors would double up the Rockets, outscoring them 32-16 the rest of the way. The initial lead was also thanks to rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, who scored the team’s first 14 points of the contest en route to a career night.
Despite fouling out, the 20-year-old put up a career-high 27 points, three assists, and two rebounds while cashing in six times from deep throughout his career night. It’s the most points by a Raps rook since Scottie Barnes in 2022.
Walter wasn’t the only rookie to have a career night, as Jamal Shead was great in his own right. The 22-year-old finished with a career-high 10 assists to go along with 11 points, six rebounds, two steals, and a block. Shead was a part of a big-time bench effort, as he, Jamison Battle, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher combined for 45 points off of the pine.
The latter in Boucher provided the biggest spark, finishing with 15 points, four assists, one rebound, and one steal. It marked the 128th game of 10 or more points off the bench for Boucher, the most in Raptors history.
Battle was a rookie performer and bench performer, scoring 11 points, four rebounds, and going 3-for-5 from distance. Between Walter, Shead, Battle, and Jonathan Mogbo (three points), the young guns combined for 52 of the Raptors’ 110 points.
The Raptors needed those contributions, as it wasn’t Scottie Barnes’ night.
Quick Reaction: Rockets 114, Raptors 110 - Raptors Republic
J. Walter - A+
28 MIN, 27 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 9-18 FG, 6-11 3FG, 3-4 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, -14 +/-
Had the Raptors first 14 points of the game! Canned his first four 3-point attempts – one from the corner and three from the wing. Also loved his aggression driving the ball early. Was blocked by Jabari Smith and immediately took it to the hoop again, drawing free throws against Alperen Sengun. Stayed aggressive getting to the cup throughout and had a nice scoop finish. The Rockets also inexplicably left him wide open on the wing later in the game, where he cashed to break his previous career-high.
Raptors left wanting more out of Barnes in lacking loss to Rockets - Sportsnet
Remarkably, the Raptors were still in a very competitive game, one that stayed that way almost to the final horn. Despite missing leading scorer RJ Barrett (a late scratch due to illness), leading rebounder Jakob Poeltl (groin) and their most experienced point guards, Immanuel Quickley (elbow) and Davion Mitchell (shoulder), the Raptors were trailing just 84-83 to start the fourth quarter.
The Raptors led by as many as 16 early and got a career-high 27 points from rookie Ja’Kobe Walter who scored the Raptors' first 14 points of the game. They also had nice bench contributions from Chris Boucher (15 points), Jamal Shead (11 points, 10 assists), Kelly Olynyk (eight points, nine rebounds, four assists) and Jamison Battle (11 points).
But with their regulars out they needed a big game from Barnes and they didn’t get it.
The Rockets weren’t exactly at their best either. It was the first game back in Toronto for VanVleet who played seven seasons with the Raptors before joining the Rockets in free agency in the summer of 2023. VanVleet was injured when the Rockets were in town last season.
There was some irony that when the in-game video tribute centred on VanVleet’s franchise record 54-point game from 2020-21, the Rockets guard scored just two points on 1-of-10 shooting but was still able to appreciate the crowd’s warm reaction after not being in uniform when the Rockets were in Toronto last season.
“It was way better being on the court, even though I played like s---,” said VanVleet. “But way better being on the court. You know, this place is a special place for me, and I always think about what it means to me and my family, but I never think about what I mean to other people until I get here. So that's always just a blessing and something I never take for granted. This crowd, I mean, given the season that you guys are having, for them to be out there cheering and still showing up and on a nightly basis, this is a special place for basketball.”
It wasn’t a particularly special night though as the Raptors fell to 7-22 on the season, while the surprising Rockets improved to 19-9.
Raptors’ poor late-game offence presents questions, including a big one in June - The Athletic
Notes
• Against the Rockets, Walter was trying to play Dillon Brooks as physically as Brooks defends his opponents. Walter doesn’t have the heft Brooks does, but that bodes well for the future. We also got a certified heat check as he scored the Raptors’ first 14 points. Walter was doing some advanced stuff all night. He got a big ovation after fouling out of the game.
• The 45th pick and an undrafted rookie combined for an easy bucket against the league’s second-best defence. It was a nice cut from Jamison Battle, but the brilliance was in Shead’s pass, thrown at the first sight of an advantage. Shead scored on his own cut off of a pass from Walter later. Shead played 33 minutes, while Davion Mitchell, who was available after not playing Thursday due to a shoulder injury, didn’t play. Shead had 11 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
• Sunday was Chris Boucher’s best game in a while. The forward had 15 points and an uncharacteristic four assists, including some tasty treats.
• Lamentably, I must put Rajaković on notice regarding some of his challenge decisions. He’s used them in low-leverage situations recently — and lost them. Against Houston, he used one in the second quarter on Walter’s third foul. It was too close to overturn and not important enough to risk losing his one opportunity. He could have really used it when the Raptors turned it over on a late inbound play.
“At that point, it was about trying to save points,” Rajaković said of the challenge.
• Not quite as easily said as done, especially when opponents are treating the Raptors’ shooters as if they have oven mitts on, but there is no way seven of Barnes’ first eight field goal attempts of any game should be 3s. That is even truer when Barnes hit none of the 3s. He finally scored with a turnaround jumper over old pal Fred VanVleet. Rajaković said Barnes is still battling his sprained ankle, plus a hip injury he sustained Thursday.
“He’ll be better,” Rajaković said.
• Barrett missed his second consecutive game with an illness. He was scheduled to travel with the Raptors to New York for Monday’s game.
Rockets down Raptors 114-110 for first Toronto win in five years - The Dream Shake
After finally beating the Golden State Warriors in 19 tries, they now just won for the first time in Toronto in five years, downing the Raptors 114-110 behind Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green.
Brooks made us look good, as he scored 27 points on the day Holly’s Dillon the Hero article went live. He was 6-for-12 from the floor and 13-for-14 from the the free throw line while also adding 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Green had 22 and 7 boards on 9-for-20 shooting.
Alperen Sengun added a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double to go along with 5 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr, also had 15 points and 9 boards. Amen Thompson had 10 points off the bench, while Cam Whitmore scored 11 in just 14 minutes.
The Rockets were sloppy offensively, giving up 21 turnovers, but they also forced 21 as the defense stepped up and they won the the points off of turnovers battle 31-21 and also continued to get the ball inside, putting up 61 points in the paint.
Fred VanVleet had an awful game in his return to his former city, putting up just 2 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists on 1-for-10 shooting.
As for the Raptors, they were led by Ja’Kobe Walker, who put up 27 points, Ochai Agbaji and Chris Boucher, who both had 15, and Gradey Dick with 14.
Toronto Raptors may have lost to Houston, but it was Ja’Kobe’s night - Raptors HQ
Ja’kobe’s Big Night
The rookie Ja’Kobe Walter had a great night, starting with a 14-0 run to start the game off. He scored the Raptors’s first 14, making 4 buckets from distance in the first 4 minutes of the game.
He then went on to score a career-high 27 points,
He ended up being fouled out with about 3 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, but was walked off to roaring applause from the crowd in Toronto. The rookie not only earned his start tonight, but probably another start tomorrow night unless RJ Barrett makes a return. He might, considering the game is in New York, but Walter should still get minutes.
Fred VanVleet playing double agent?
Fred VanVleet had a rough night of shooting, going 1-10 from the field and scoring just 2 points total in the game. Could be some first game back jitters? VanVleet was injured the last time the Rockets played in Toronto.
He did have 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 5 assists, but his 0-5 attempts from distance was definitely not the VanVleet Toronto is used to seeing.
I did make a joke online that maybe, just maybe, he was intentionally missing in hopes of a Toronto win. That would not be like him at all, but who knows, maybe he is still rooting for the Raptors like that.
Calling all SheadHeads
Another rookie that had himself a night was Jamal Shead. He came off the bench to score 11 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals. He shot 5-7 from the field, but was also a beast defensively. He was active, hustling, cutting on plays, moving off the ball. It was a night of high level basketball from the rookie.
It looks like the trips down to the 905 are doing him well, as they did for Gradey last season. While the Raptors’ record may not be the hype, the way these young players are developing surely is. It’s a good sign for down the line what Walter and Shead are displaying now.
Raptors get the best of Ja’Kobe Walter and worst of Scottie Barnes in loss to Rockets - Toronto Star
Walter was by far the most impressive Raptor. He had the team’s first 14 points and made six three-pointers on the evening.
“We’ve just been harping on being more aggressive, so that’s the mentality I came here with,” Walter said after the game. “They were sagging off and everybody wants me to shoot the ball, so that’s what I did.”
It’s too bad he didn’t have a few shots left in him, because the Raptors couldn’t find any down the stretch — again.
With Scottie Barnes suffering through one of the least effective shooting games of his career and the non-Walter Raptors a combined 11 for 32 from three-point range, Walter fouling out with Toronto down seven and about three minutes left was a killer. But in keeping with the theme, even that might be worth keeping in mind for the future.
“Rookies, we’re new to the league, so we’re not going to get as many calls as the other team. Offensively and defensively, we don’t have as much leeway,” Walter said. “So we kind of understand, but I’ve just got to know time and score and how many fouls I’ve got, so I shouldn’t have put myself in that position.”
Walter’s offence kept the Raptors in the game because the team’s top threat, Barnes, was a no-show.
His first eight field-goal attempts were all misses from three-point range, and he ended up two-for-15 from the field. He was far too passive from the opening tip.
“As you can see, he’s not being himself,” Rajakovic said of Barnes. “He’s banged up. He got hit in his hip the last game, his ankle, and there’s been a couple of things bothering him. He’s still not himself. He’ll be better.”
Raptors start strong against Rockets, but poor finish leads to seventh straight loss - Toronto Sun
Against a solid defensive side, the Raps poured in 35 points in the opening quarter, one of their finest periods of the season, which came in the wake of a fourth-quarter abomination against the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
When the Rockets became turnover-prone, the Raptors pounced on every miscue. But when the Rockets protected the basketball and started to play their trademark defence, the game turned competitive.
once again, the Raptors found themselves in a one-possession game, despite all of their warts. But down three in the final half-minute, Kelly Olynyk turned the ball over and that was it.
For the Raptors, it was their seventh straight setback.
Unfortunately, additional losses are certain to follow unless Barnes can find his offensive form. Two games since his return from an ankle injury and the Raptors’ franchise player has struggled.
VanVleet was also conspicuous by his offensive silence, going-1-for-10, his lone basket a late lay-up. However, the Rockets didn’t need their floor general to emerge as a scorer.
Turnovers, ultimately, did in the Raptors, which isn’t new given their season’s body of work.
No one can expect Walter to go off as he did Sunday with his career-high effort, but then again, no one expected Barnes to be this bad.
RAPTORS TAKEAWAYS: Scottie Barnes' struggles waste a career-high night for rookie Ja'Kobe Walter - Toronto Sun
Scottie Barnes didn’t force anything, electing to serve as the primary facilitator against a stout Rockets team.
At least that’s how the night began with Canadian Dillon Brooks guarding Barnes who, in turn, started off by trying to keep VanVleet, his one-time teammate, from finding his shooting rhythm.
At times, Barnes forced quick shots, often from beyond the three-point line.
Because he tends to play on the perimeter, Barnes doesn’t emerge as a rebounding threat. But his biggest asset remains his passing and court vision. Even when teammates weren’t able to finish at the rim, Barnes kept finding cutters.
It’s his shot, though, that needs to be refined, not to mention his shot selection. But by this stage in his NBA evolution, it remains to be seen if he’ll ever develop a consistent jumper.
He can compensate by attacking the rim or by finding his teammates when favourable matchups are created.
Oddly, the Raptors played with a lead in the first quarter without Barnes scoring a single point because he was settling for three-point shots. Toronto led 35-24 after the first quarter, which would see Barnes miss all five of his heaves, all from three-point distance. To settle is never ideal, even when a double-digit lead is established and at no time during the first half did Barnes attempt a shot from inside the three-point arc.
Barnes made no trips to the line, which has been another deficiency to his game. He also had two turnovers.
When Kelly Olynyk was in the game, at least Barnes had some of the ball-handling pressure reduced while, during some stretches, Jamal Shead was asked to orchestrate the offence.
When he did find himself in the paint, Barnes picked up his dribble and was never able to get off his shot.
Barnes finally recorded his first basket with 5:25 left in the third quarter. It came from six feet, highlighting why he needs to play inside every once a while. He also didn’t attempt his first free throw until there were two minutes left in the game.
This was not a good night for Barnes as he went 2-for-15 from the floor and mustered a meagre six points.
And yet, the Raptors hung in and pushed Houston to the limit.