Morning Coffee - Dec. 20, 2024
Raptors start youngest lineup ever | Life without Poeltl sucks | Vision 6"9 2.0 | Stoudamire has regrets 30 years later 😂
Are the Raptors ready for life without Jakob Poeltl? - Raptors Republic
But it wasn’t all peaches and cream for the squad as the Austrian’s absence was undoubtedly felt, especially in the most obvious places. Toronto was out rebounded 53-34 on the night. Brooklyn grabbed 15 of those boards on the offensive end (plus-five) and held a plus-10 advantage on paint points because of it. That was even after Nic Claxton, the Nets top rebounder, was ejected midway through the second quarter. The Raptors sorely missed Poeltl’s presence around the rim — he’s averaging the seventh-most rebounds per game while his 3.9 offensive boards top the charts.
And beyond the explicit, the understated was even more damning in terms of the outcome. Screen assists are by no means a sexy thing to talk about but they are undoubtedly at the core of what makes Poeltl pivotal to the Raptors (and any team pursuing him). He’s second in the NBA for average screen assists (5.0) and fourth for points generated from picks (10.8). It’s a major reason why the Raptors’ halfcourt offence (as mediocre as it’s been) hasn’t been more of a problem, and also why without Poeltl on Thursday, it was eight points worse per 100 possessions than their season average, per Cleaning the Glass.
Okay, the Raptors suck without their starting centre, we knew that. If not for the aforementioned, there’s also the simple fact that Toronto’s net rating is nearly eight points worse when he’s off the floor this year. But for those who are ready to deal Poeltl, that’s kind of the point. Move him, lose and hopefully “capture the Flagg.” So, how exactly does losing to the Nets provide any sense of caution to that idea?
Well, for starters, offence inside the 3-point line was noticeably harder to come by without Poeltl as the Raptors shot diet was different from its usual distribution. A team that balances a roughly equal amount of rim (34 per cent) and 3-point attempts (39.2), with a healthy bit of mid-range looks (26.8) mixed in, instead relied on triples for over 50 per cent of its looks against Brooklyn. The Raptors made 15 triples on 44 attempts (34.1 per cent), with most of those makes coming courtesy of the Kansas Jayhawks duo of Dick and Agabji as they each went 4-of-8 from distance.
To be fair, in some ways that was intentional for Toronto. Head coach Darko Rajakovic admitted as much post-game, saying the Raptors planned to shoot more from distance given the makeup of his undermanned squad. Still, the lack of penetration, especially down the stretch, was costly.
By the time the game had reached the final two minutes, Toronto’s once eight-point fourth quarter lead had vanished. (Largely thanks to Cam Johnson who scored 15 of his game-high 33 points in the final frame, speaking of players with a lot of trade value.) With the game knotted up at 90 a piece, the Raptors next four possessions went as follows: Shead miss on a corner three, Barnes miss on an above the break three, Barnes offensive foul and Dick airball from three.
An offence that generated 26 assists got “stagnant” in the closing moments as Rajakovic described following the loss and watching it in realtime, it was hard not to imagine how Poeltl would’ve loosened things up. His short-roll floater as a release valve for an easy bucket, or an off-ball screen to open a driving/cutting lane for one of Agbaji or Dick who finished with 20 and 19 points respectively, would’ve gone a long way.
Raptors' youth gains more valuable exposure in loss to Nets - Sportsnet
The options Mogbo brings as a smaller five are still intriguing. Defensively, the team has been better with him on the floor, as Toronto gets switchier and more aggressive, with their ability to force turnovers skyrocketing compared to a more conservative approach with Poeltl. The utility of that option can be matchup-dependant, and Mogbo works well defensively alongside Poeltl, too, but a Barnes-Mogbo defensive frontcourt could be an intriguing option in time.
Offensively, Mogbo’s skill level provides room for real optimism. He’s studied players like Draymond Green to see how they use their aggression and playmaking to make it work as an undersized five, and Mogob’s ability to flash into space and make quick reads as a passer projects well. There’s more space in the NBA game, but Mogbo’s still learning that those spaces close quickly.
“It's definitely faster. College, you know, you have some time,” he said before the game. “I feel like that's what we’ve got to do, if you're in that position as an undersized five: Just use your IQ and quickness and it'll be fine.”
There were moments Thursday when it looked more than fine. Mogbo tallied four assists, including a couple of zippy kick-outs from the middle of the floor to shooters. He also worked well with Barnes and Dick in one of the team’s favourite screen-the-screener actions, finishing a lob from Barnes with authority. At the same time, there’s a swath of floor in the area between the rim and the elbow where Mogbo is still figuring out how and when to attack, and learning the touch on those tougher floaters.
“There is a lot, for sure, for him. He is learning a lot and every time,” head coach Darko Rajakoovic said pre-game. “When you learn different positions that he’s played lately, different matchups, at some point it comes to you slowing down a little bit with your aggressiveness. But we are working through that, and we want him to be aggressive, we want him to be forceful and when he does that, he’s the player that we like.”
The Raptors learned a lot through their so-called Vision-6’9” era, and just because they eventually moved off of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby ahead of the trade deadline last year doesn’t mean those lessons went out the door, too.
Raptors vs. Nets, Dec. 19 Takeaways: Undermanned squad underwhelms against Nets - Raptors in 7
This type of fun has almost run its course
I think I’ve learned all I can learn of Dick, Agbaji, Mogbo, and even Shead and Mitchell in overextended roles. I won’t put Walter in this category because of how much time he missed. This is by no means to say I don’t enjoy watching them play, but rather that I think we have reached the point of diminishing returns as we near the halfway mark of the season.
The coaching staff and front office need to have a good look at what not only Quickley-Barrett-Dick-Barnes-Poeltl look like together but also how everyone else fits in when operating in their ideal roles. It’s great that the names I mentioned earlier have shown as much as they have, but the sense of mystery and curiosity has dissipated.
Here’s hoping Quickley is back soon.
Quick Reaction: Nets 101, Raptors 94 - Raptors Republic
O. Agbaji - A
36 MIN, 20 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 8-16 FG, 4-8 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -8 +/-
Good defensive work, more aggressive than usual on the offensive end, especially in the first quarter. Ochai made a beautiful back door cut late in the first quarter and was able to finish an alley-oop courtesy of Kelly Olynyk. 14th time this season that Agbaji was able to connect on 2+ three-pointers this season which is a great sign as his shot was not at this level last season. He led the team in the scoring department which is a rare, but welcoming sight.
Brooklyn Nets steal ugly win vs Toronto Raptors in anti-tanking fight, 101-94 - Nets Daily
Brooklyn threw up brick after brick from three, finishing an ugly 9-of-39 from distance, and Claxton’s back-up Day’Ron Sharpe committed four fouls in the first half. The Nets’ two biggest advantages over a Raptors team missing Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley (size and 3-point shooting) were completely nullified.
And yet, Brooklyn never tailed by more than ten. Even that was for just a moment.
Ben Simmons put up 12/5/7, and though he turned it over five times, his willingness to drive it strong to the hoop offset those woes...
That’s a worthwhile trade-off now that Simmons, fully entrenched as Brooklyn’s primary ball-handler, is controlling just about every possession.
Really, everybody that touched the floor for Brooklyn did their job. Nobody outside of Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith could connect from three, but Shake Milton made every middy he took to finish with a dozen. Noah Clowney shot just 3-of-10, but his defense in 37 big minutes as Brooklyn’s center-by-default was crucial, mainly his many possessions guarding Scottie Barnes.
The Raptors, particularly this depleted version of them, are not very good. But the Nets deserved a competitive finish, even as they entered the fourth quarter down six. And they got it, on the backs of their team’s leaders.
Toronto Raptors fall to Brooklyn Nets as the Eras Tour Returns to Toronto? - Raptors HQ
Ochai Agbaji leads the team in scoring
Agbaji has been given a larger role on the team this season, both from roster changes and due to the never-ending cycle of injuries this team has experienced. Despite having a rocky start to his Toronto-tenure last season when he averaged 6.7 points per game, he has improved in the first third of this season.
Starting in 25 of the 27 games he has played for the Raptors so far this season, he has averaged 11.4 points per game. Tonight he scored 20 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal against Brooklyn, leading the Raptors.
Gradey Dick shoots 50% from distance
With RJ Barrett missing the game due to illness, the offensive responsibility had to be distributed to other players. Gradey stepped up, scoring 19 points on 50% shooting from distance.
Scottie was the next highest scorer for the Raptors with 16 points. He was the only Raptors starter in a positive net rating and also 6 assists, 2 blocks, 3 rebounds.
Youthful Raptors make franchise history but can’t stay up late against the Nets - Toronto Star
They were energetic at times, confounding and confusing at times, and they played with a youthful exuberance and joy that was at times infectious.
A historic group of Raptors was thrown together Thursday and the players seemed to enjoy themselves considerably. Until it was time to win.
And though circumstances may have forced them to make history, the experiences and the lessons that will be learned are significant byproducts.
The Raptors started the youngest five man group in franchise history but couldn’t close out the game, watching a late lead disappear in a 101-94 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Scotiabank Arena.
The Raptors led by two with about two-and-a-half minutes to go but scored two baskets the rest of the way, both after the outcome had been all but decided. It was the finish of a wretched 18-point fourth quarter.
“We missed some open shots, but we also got stagnant there toward the end of the game,” coach Darko Rajakovic said. “And we were chasing some isolations instead of playing to our style of ball movement and cutting and moving. A lot of learning from this game, especially for our young guys to learn how to close the game.”
According to the Raptors and a stats service used by the team’s broadcasters, Thursday’s starting lineup — Scottie Barnes, 23; Gradey Dick, 21; Ja’Kobe Walter, 20; Ochai Agbaji, 24; and Jonathan Mogbo, 23 — averaged 22 years, 187 days old.
Takeaways as Raptors Lose to Nets in Potentially Key Game for Lottery Odds - Sports Illustrated
Tankathon
This one mattered.
It’s still a bit early to obsess over the reverse standings, but it’s clear Brooklyn and Toronto are destined to be near the bottom when the season wraps up. The Nets entered the year with a clear focus on securing a top pick, and while that wasn’t the Raptors’ initial goal, it’s starting to look like that’s where things are headed.
So, what happened when the two teams faced off?
Pretty much what you’d expect — two shorthanded squads struggling to play clean, cohesive basketball. Scottie Barnes had three crucial chances late in the fourth but couldn’t convert, and the Raptors — perhaps beneficially — fell to 7-21 on the season.
"My problem today was we were not active off the ball," Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said of the team's late-game offense. "We need still to have cuts, we still need to have some windows, opportunities for other guys to find open shots there. And we were just standing and watching (Barnes) play."
The loss created a 4.5-game cushion between Toronto and Brooklyn in the lottery race, a result that might not feel great now but could pay off later.
Even with Scottie Barnes back, Raptors' woes continued in dropping their sixth in a row - Toronto Sun
At least the teams competed hard, even when it was hard to watch for extended stretches.
At halftime, the Nets were leading, 52-46, and were enjoying a 31-16 advantage on the boards.
There was even a player ejection for aggressively throwing the rock out of bounds.
To add an additional layer to the night was the engagement level shown by Ben Simmons, who even showed a rare moment of emotion.
Given the Raptors’ roster limitation, so much was on Barnes’ plate and Gradey Dick.
A deep three by Barnes, who showed no hesitation in heaving his shot, gave the Raptors a third-quarter lead.
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Great ball movement off penetration led to another Raptors three-pointer, this one courtesy of Ochai Agbaji.
A Dick three-ball was Toronto’s fifth of the quarter on six attempts.
Toronto’s three-point proficiency, combined with Brooklyn’s inefficiency, continued as a 10-point lead would be established and a 76-70 advantage created heading into the fourth period.
Eight of Toronto’s 14 makes from distance through three quarters were drained by Dick and Agbaji, who each accounted for four.