Listed below are 5 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors‘ 125-93 loss to the Charlotte Hornets:
One — The problem in assessing a blowout of this nature is to sift in the course of the noise. The Raptors obviously didn’t have it this night, trailing 14-2 from the soar and not as soon as threatening to release a comeback or to play any semblance of coherent defence.
AUDIO PLAYER
raptors-show
Raptors Response: Blown Out by means of the Hornets
February 25 2022
Fred VanVleet may be coping with lingering knee soreness, and Pascal Siakam used to be printed afterwards to have performed via flu-like signs, which all issues to this being a kind of nights the place you simply discard the outcome since it is an outlier. However there have been different relating to traits that might elevate over via a decisive stretch for the Raptors as they give the impression of being to cement a playoff spot that they’ve labored so onerous to carry in the course of the first two-thirds of the season.
The Raptors are 1-3 since happening an eight-game win streak, and two of the ones losses had been 30-point blowouts. You’ll be able to’t simply discard that as a accident simply because it is extra handy or relaxed. There are some tangible problems for the workforce to resolve. Finally, the workforce used to be aggressive in each unmarried recreation for over two months, so that is very a lot out of personality.
Two — The principle fear is VanVleet’s well being. VanVleet mentioned prior to the sport that his knee continues to trouble him regardless of taking every week off, and it displays. Outdoor of a five-minute stretch the place he nailed two jumpers and stubbornly pressured his solution to the basket, VanVleet gave the look of a shadow of the All-Superstar shape that he confirmed previous within the yr.
He seemed laboured in his actions, he had no burst to get downhill, even if he did get into the paint he did not create sufficient separation which led to blocks, and his jumpers have been considerably off. It is going with out announcing that VanVleet is irreplaceable, and with none unswerving intensity at level guard, the Raptors will battle to be aggressive with out him at his highest in opposition to high quality fighters.
One resolution is to shift much more of the playmaking over to Siakam, who has performed whole video games because the de facto level guard this season, which might permit VanVleet to preserve his power for enjoying defence and attacking off-ball.
3 — The Raptors made a abnormal determination to ditch their substitution development that carried them in the course of the previous six weeks. OG Anunoby‘s finger is already a significant disruption, however Nick Nurse went a couple of steps additional by means of scrapping the entire plan.
Khem Birch being inserted into the beginning lineup isn’t surprising, for the reason that the Raptors had an glaring weak spot at centre. Even if, he hasn’t precisely excelled in his play to warrant the promotion and his simplest memorable second used to be to be posterized by means of Mason Plumlee. However what is abnormal is that Nurse additionally selected to modify up the way in which his lineups labored.
The standard development is for VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. to maintain the offence by means of taking part in the entire first quarter, whilst Siakam will get an early breather. Then, it could be Siakam’s flip, in conjunction with Anunoby when to be had, to guide the second one unit whilst the guards get their leisure prior to returning to near the part. This night, Nurse took Siakam out early, then introduced him again after a three-minute breather within the first quarter to alleviate VanVleet, then the 2 have been each at the ground to begin the second one quarter.
In the meantime, the combo of Treasured Achiuwa and Chris Boucher normally supply power in the course of quarters, however they have been requested to near out the primary part as a substitute of the standard beginning staff that might end the part. Possibly it used to be only a case of Nurse looking to set up VanVleet and Siakam on an evening once they have been each compromised, or possibly it used to be simply Nurse looking to innovate in an try to encourage his workforce on an off-night, however he mustn’t ditch what used to be running so smartly.
4 — Thaddeus Younger stays an ungainly are compatible. There is simply a large number of redundancy within the varieties of gamers the Raptors have to be had, which is able to infrequently create confusion.
As an example. despite the fact that Younger has essentially performed as a ahead in his in depth profession, it used to be Younger who used to be tasked to protect the opposing centre even if he shared the ground with Achiuwa and Boucher who mechanically play centre. Younger seemed a step sluggish in his pick-and-roll protection, getting beat repeated by means of LaMelo Ball, however he used to be rarely the one culprit at the evening.
Offensively, the loss of spacing for the Raptors stays a significant factor. In the course of the first 46 mins of the sport, the Raptors had simply 4 threes as a workforce which is not a marvel taking into account the lineups that have been in the market. Younger used to be a part of an all-forward lineup the place everybody used to be 6-foot-9 in conjunction with Achiuwa, Boucher, Scottie Barnes, and Dalano Banton, however actually all 5 gamers are non-shooters who’re neglected from the fringe. It is simply abnormal that the entrance place of work selected to not upload any other shooter when that used to be already their greatest weak spot.
5 — Barnes used to be the one brilliant spot. He scored a career-high 28 issues and confirmed a commendable resolution in attending to the basket. The Hornets should not have credible rim protectors, and on an evening the place Siakam and VanVleet obviously were not themselves, Barnes took it upon himself to attain.
Outdoor of a 3 with a foot at the line, Barnes essentially were given his baskets within the paint the place he is in a position to use his power and duration to his benefit. He used to be ready to complete successfully with both hand, and flashed a little of craft, maximum particularly on a pressure the place he palmed the ball, faked to the nook by means of flashing the ball and his eyes, prior to coming again to the center for a brief floater. It used to be a web page out of Magic Johnson’s e-book.
